Justin Timberlake is headed back to Apple TV+, as the actor/singer will star as The Gong Show host Chuck Barris in an hour-long drama series based on Barris' memoir, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, according to Deadline. Barris was also the creator of other game shows such as The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game. Barris claimed in his 1984 memoir that he was also a CIA assassin.
The show will mark Timberlake’s second project at Apple TV+. Timberlake starred in Palmer, released in January this year, and directed by veteran actor Fischer Stevens. Timberlake played the title character, an ex-felon who takes care of a young boy. While Timberlake has seemingly taken a break from acting in recent years, he has previously appeared in such films as Inside Llewyn Davis, Friends with Benefits, and The Social Network.
Miramax and Paramount Television Studios will co-produce the show. Ray Donovan executive producer David Hollander will be the showrunner, along with writer Jon Worley, who wrote the pilot. Worley has also written for Justified, SEAL Team, and Iron Fist. Timberlake’s new series is Apple TV+’s latest push to expand their content, following the success of programs like The Oprah Conversation and Ted Lasso.
This isn’t the first time the Chuck Barris story has been told. George Clooney directed a 2002 film based on Barris’ memoir with the same title, Confession of a Dangerous Mind. Sam Rockwell starred as the supposed game show host/CIA hitman from a script written by Charlie Kaufman. That version received favorable reviews, but with the talent behind this new show, the gonzo source material, and more time to tell the story, Timberlake may have found his best role yet.
As of right now, it is unclear when Timberlake's Chuck Barris series will come out, but it does sound like a promising new series from Apple TV+.