Netflix Is Turning An Iconic Al Pacino Classic Into Its Next Must-Watch Series
Netflix is adapting a classic Al Pacino film for TV, with Sony Pictures Television producing. The Oscar winner for Scent of a Woman has no shortage of icons—now one is getting the episodic treatment.
Well, here's a blast from the past getting the digital treatment: Netflix and Sony are teaming up to turn the classic Al Pacino film 'And Justice for All' into a TV series. If you only know Pacino from the mile-long highlight reel of his career (Oscars for 'Scent of a Woman', Godfather-level infamy, 'Dog Day Afternoon' rage, you name it), you might have missed this gem from 1979. But apparently, it's ripe for a modern overhaul.
'And Justice for All': The Next Courtroom Drama for TV
The show is still in its early days, but here’s what’s on the docket so far:
- Source material: The 1979 film, directed by Norman Jewison, starred Pacino as Arthur Kirkland, a lawyer with both a robust sense of justice and a tragic knack for getting tangled up with corrupt judges.
- The Pitch: Writers Jeremy Miller and Dan Cohn, who’ll also be executive producers, are promising a 'gritty look at an idealistic attorney’s flawed life as he struggles to fight a corrupted legal system until he finally snaps.' Ross Fineman from Fineman Entertainment is also executive producing.
- Cast: No names attached yet. Absolutely zero info out there as to who might play the Pacino role, or anyone else.
- Release: No date. Not even a vague window.
The Original Film: A Refresher (for Those Who Blinked in 1979)
'And Justice for All' wasn’t just another courtroom drama. Pacino’s Arthur Kirkland had to defend a judge accused of rape—a judge who’d previously shafted one of Kirkland’s clients thanks to a legal technicality. And the twist? The judge pretty much admits guilt, so it’s an ethical car crash from start to finish.
If you’re interested, the original’s cast list is packed: Jack Warden, John Forsythe, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, among others. The screenplay, from Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson, grabbed an Oscar nomination, as did Pacino’s performance.
By the way, if you’re feeling nostalgic, the original film is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and the rest of the usual suspects.