An adaptation of Chop Shop, inspired by the Kathy Braidhill book of the same name, is coming to television.
Deadline notes that Christina Ricci (Wednesday) will star alongside Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass) in the series. It’s a “true crime series” set against the 1980s San Fernando Valley funeral business.
Per the report, Chop Shop will “chart the chilling and twisted tale of the Lamb Funeral Home in 1980s Los Angeles. When David Sconce — the Machiavellian scion of a Bible college football coach and a church organist — takes the reins of the family business, the seemingly All-American clan begins a jaw-dropping descent from saints to sinners. Desperate to keep their funeral home afloat, Sconce engineers a sinister new business strategy, replete with human body harvesting and mass cremation.”
The strange new series will reportedly paint “a harrowing portrait of hubris against the neon greed of the era, where insatiable ambition turns a former football star into a SoCal sociopath.”
It’s noted that Linklater will play David Sconce, and Ricci is attached to play a journalist inspired by Braidhill.
Producers Laura Rister and Untitled’s Michael Rosenberg said of the project: “Upon reading Braidhill’s book Chop Shop, we were fascinated to discover this shocking Los Angeles story that truly is stranger than fiction. Christina and Hamish naturally gravitate to complex, brave material and roles. We feel so fortunate to capture their combined magic in one show. We also look forward to collaborating again with Andy Bellin, who shares a deep curiosity for intricate human stories.”
The series is currently seeking a showrunner and filmmakers to attach to the project.
