HBO Moves Forward With 'Lewis And Clark' Miniseries Starring Casey Affleck And Matthias Schoenaerts

HBO has greenlit a new miniseries based on explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and starring Casey Affleck and Matthias Schoenaerts. The six part miniseries will begin filming in the summer and is due on our screens later this year.

"In Lewis and Clark, we can see American idealism and the breathtaking natural beauty of the continent, as well as the complexities and tragedies of what came to be known as America's 'manifest destiny,' " said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo.

"We are tremendously excited to bring together this incredible group of talents to tell a seminal American story.” The miniseries will be based on the book Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose, about the duo’s discovery of the American West.

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The project has been in development for quite some time, with Affleck signing on as Lewis last summer. However Schoenaerts, who is best known for 2012 Cannes acclaimed drama Rust and Bone, only came onboard as Clark this week.

Schoenaerts will also star in director Thomas Vinterberg's adaptation of Far From the Madding Crowd, which will be released later this year

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The series hails from HBO and National Geographic Entertainment and will be produced by Playtone, Plan B and Class 5. Among the star studded list of producers on the series are Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Gary Goetzman, Dede Gardner, Tim Kelly and Adam Leipzig.

Directing will be ‘The Painted Veil’s’ John Curran who will also pen the script alongside ‘The Pacific’s’ Michelle Ashford and Norton.