Fox 21 Television Studios and The Littlefield Company Option Beth Macy's DOPESICK for Television

After a highly competitive bidding, FOX 21 Television Studios (Homeland, The Americans) and The Littlefield Company (The Handmaid's Tale, Fargo) have optioned best selling author Beth Macy's latest work which chronicles America's opioid crisis. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America will be developed for television it was announced today by Bert Salke, President, FOX 21 Television Studios and Warren Littlefield, Principal, The Littlefield Company. Littlefield and Macy will serve as executive producers. Peter McGuigan and Richie Kern will be producers.

"Every once in a while, you come across a piece of material that is that rare diamond in that it's an incredibly arresting story, and, even more, is timely and important," commented Salke. "Beth's dissection and thoughtful emotion in detailing the opioid crisis that now plagues our country, is as compelling a story as I have seen. Warren and FOX 21 are truly excited to build the perfect team, beginning with identifying the perfect writer to bring this series to life. It's a huge priority."

Stated Littlefield, "Beth has written a book that holds up a mirror to where America is right now and why. Through deeply emotional true stories and an understanding of the systems that failed us, Beth has painted a powerful and important portrait of our country. Until America better understands the issue it will remain a place where getting addicted is much easier than securing addiction treatment. Television can shine a klieg light on this. We look forward to working closely with Beth and our FOX 21 partners to bring this property to life on television."

Adds Macy of her work, "I write it the only way I know how - by witnessing the epidemic's landing in three Virginia communities over two decades and getting to know the people on the front lines. From distressed small communities in central Appalachia to wealthy suburbs, from disparate cities to once idyllic farm towns, it's a heartbreaking trajectory that explains how the national crisis became so entrenched. This book illuminates the persistent and often conflicting gaps in the treatment and criminal-justice landscapes while shining a hopeful light on the heroes battling the worst drug epidemic in American history." Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America was published by Little, Brown and Company and is currently No. 5 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction.

Beth Macy is a journalist and author of the widely acclaimed and bestselling books Truevine and Factory Man. Based in Roanoke, Virginia for three decades, her reporting has won more than a dozen national awards, including a Nieman Fellowship for Journalism at Harvard. She lives in Roanoke, Virginia, with her husband Tom, a school administrator.

About FOX 21 Television Studios:

Fox 21 Television Studios is a production unit housed within FOX Television Group devoted to making creatively ambitious scripted and unscripted series for all distribution platforms. FOX 21 Television Studios is responsible for the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning sensation from Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson "The People v. O.J. Simpson: AMERICAN CRIME Story" (with FX Productions) as well as its follow-up "The Assassination of Gianni Versace;" the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning "Homeland," starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin; the critically acclaimed "The Americans" (with FX Productions) starring Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell; "Queen of the South," executive produced by David T. Friendly and Natalie Chaidez; "Pose" from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall and Sherry Marsh, with Steven Canals as co-executive producer, and Janet Mock, Our Lady J and Erica Kay as producers; the Emmy-nominated "Genius: Einstein," its follow-up "Genius: Picasso" and the upcoming installment "Genius: Mary Shelley"; and the upcoming Kurt Sutter and Elgin James series "Mayans M.C.," the follow-up to the blockbuster "Sons of Anarchy."

About The Littlefield Company:

The Littlefield Company (THE HANDMAID'S TALE, FARGO) is dedicated to making premium, thought provoking content. Their shows have amassed a collective 95 Emmy nominations and 14 Emmy wins, alongside multiple Peabody Awards, PGAs, Golden Globes, and more. Founded by Warren Littlefield who, as President of NBC Entertainment, architected the "Must See TV" era, the company includes his producing partners Ann Johnson and Graham Littlefield, as well as Patty Mann and Vivien Mao.

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