Rita Wilson Developing the Novel MIDDLESEX for HBO

HBO has optioned the Pulitzer Prize winning book “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides.  According to Broadcasting and Cable the 2002 novel is being developed as a potential one-hour drama series with Rita Wilson set to produce.  More after the jump…

“Middlesex” is the story of Calliope Stephanides, an intersexed youth growing up in modern-day Detroit.  That alone would be interesting, but the book also weaves an intricate family history that traces Callie/Cal’s Greek heritage through his/her contemporary family situation: including extortion plots, crooked priests, car chases and multiple betrayals.  It’s basically a really well-written version of “One Life to Live” with an extra helping of gender neutrality thrown in.

Like the good folks who awarded Eugenides the Pulitzer back in 2003, I loved the book “Middlesex”.  I would be very nervous about the material ending up neutered for television if we were talking about any channel other than HBO.  The pay-cable provider is probably the only network that still takes genuine risks with material (who else would have done all seven hours of a “John Adams” miniseries?) and where the tastes of teenaged boys are not slavishly catered to.  I look forward to seeing what Rita Wilson comes up with…