Adam McKay is coming to Netflix in a big way over the next few years with the release of Don’t Look Up in December 2021 and a new limited series called Kings of America. Here’s the latest on everything we know so far about the Kings of America miniseries.
Announced in August 2020, the new miniseries based on true events will see an all-star star cast unite with a big team of producers including Stacy O’Neil, Adam McKay, Diana Son, Betsy Koch, Amy Adams, Brunson Green, and Jess Kimball Leslie.
The series is created by Jess Kimball Leslie and this project is described as her “first foray into Hollywood” with her previous roles being a journalist in the tech and economy space but also writing the book “I Love My Computer Because My Friends Live In It”. You can hear Jess talk about the project among other things in the hour-long What’s Betwixt Us podcast.
Diana Son is also on board to write and will also serve as the showrunner. She’s perhaps best known for her work on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why.
Pictured: Jess Kimball Leslie (left) & Diana Son (right)
Directing the series first episode (as well as serving as an executive producer) is Adam McKay who is known for The Other Guys, Vice, and The Big Short.
We should also note that Adam McKay serves as one of the executive producers of Succession, the hit HBO show that Netflix’s TV boss wishes was on Netflix. We note this because, from all the notes we’ve seen regarding the show, it very much sets out to be “Succession in tone”.
Since the announcement of Kings of America, Adam McKay’s production company signed a first-look movie deal with Apple.
Adam McKay accepts the Distinguished Collaborator award – Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for CDGA
What is Netflix’s Kings of America about?
The reason we bought up the comparison with Succession earlier is that Kings of America tackles a rich empire in the form of a lawsuit against Walmart. Walmart is notably mostly owned Walton family, the wealthiest family in America with a net worth of $247 billion.
Here’s what the series, which is based on a true story, will tackle:
“Kings of America centers on the stories of three powerful women whose lives were inextricably intertwined with the world’s largest company: a Walmart heiress, a maverick executive, and a longtime Walmart saleswoman and preacher who dared to fight against the retail giant in the biggest class action lawsuit in US history.”
Who will star in Netflix’s Kings of America?
Amy Adams – Picture: Getty Images
Only one cast member has been confirmed thus far in the form of Amy Adams who will be playing the role of Julie Rome. Described as a smart, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed city girl, she’s going to stand out like a sore thumb in the country.
Glenn Close – Picture: Getty Images
We’re also pleased to report that Netflix is eying Glenn Close for the role of Alice Walker in the series.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Glenn Close and Amy Adams share credits in a Netflix Original. The pair most notably starred alongside each other in the Netflix adaptation of Hillbilly Elegy where Adams played Bev and Close as Mamaw. The movie went on to be Oscar-nominated.
Netflix did not confirm the inclusion of Glenn Close to What’s on Netflix in a request for comment.
Other characters that will feature in the series include Betty Duke described as an African American who is described as a smart charismatic preacher. They’re also looking to cast Roy Scott, a Texan who was “born for the upper echelons of corporate America” and described akin to George W. Bush.
Finally, they’re casting for a billionaire businessman named Jim and a Navy SEAL called Steve Hall.
Where is Kings of America in production?
The series is believed to have entered pre-production over the summer of 2021 with the view to film in late 2021 although we don’t have any specific dates at the moment.
Are you looking forward to Kings of America coming soon to Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
