U.S.-Lebanese actor Tony Shalhoub, who played the “defective detective” on “Monk,” is set to star as former auto mogul-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn in a high-profile TV series directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Ghosn is the French-Lebanese-Brazilian former CEO of automakers Nissan and Renault who in 2020 jumped bail and absconded to Beirut hidden in a music case on a private jet while on trial in Japan for alleged financial misconduct. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.
The six-part series titled “Fall of the God of Cars” is written by Winterbottom, the prolific British director of “Welcome to Sarajevo,” whose TV work comprises hit sitcom series “The Trip” and, more recently, “This is England” starring Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson.
The Winterbottom Ghosn show is being produced by Fremantle, Revolution Films, Passenger and Anonymous Content.
The project was originally developed by Winterbottom and Alfonso Cuaron for Anonymous Content, the media company behind “Spotlight” and “True Detective.”
Richard Brown (“True Detective”) will serve as executive producer on behalf of Passenger and Fremantle; Melissa Parmenter will serve as executive producer for Winterbottom’s Revolution Films; and Violaine Etienne will serve as executive producer for Anonymous Content. David Levine and Garrett Kemble will oversee the project on behalf of Anonymous Content.
Fremantle recently partnered with Brown and Winterbottom on “This England” which was a Sky Original.
Brown, whose Passenger shingle is owned by Fremantle, “has also taken on a new creative role across Fremantle’s Global Drama division to help drive Fremantle’s efforts in the development and production of TV and film projects such as this,” according to a statement. Fremantle also has an exclusive first-look deal with Revolution Films.
This is not the first TV project to be announced about the story of Carlos Ghosn who, until his arrest in Japan in 2018,ruled an automotive alliance that spanned several continents, comprising Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi.
In 2021 France’s Federation Entertainment said they were developing a Ghosn mini-series titled “The Fugitive” with Francois Cluzet (“Intouchables”) in the title role.
Ghosn, who now lives in Beirut, has repeatedly said he was a victim of injustice and political persecution and claims he was being prosecuted in Tokyo on trumped-up charges to keep him from further integrating Nissan and Renault, which threatened the Japanese carmaker’s autonomy.
“Carlos Ghosn was a superstar of the car industry, the first person ever to have simultaneously been CEO of two Fortune 500 companies,” said Winterbottom in a statement. “It is wonderful to have Tony Shalhoub on board to play this complex character,” he added.
Commented Fremantle’s global drama CEO Christian Vesper: “We are excited to announce this latest collaboration with Michael, Richard and the team at Anonymous Content. They are the perfect visionary and creative partners to bring this fascinating and incredulous story to life.”
