Lonesome Dove is getting the Netflix streaming series treatment

Another week, another classic dusted off for the streaming age. This time it’s Lonesome Dove getting the Netflix treatment. If you weren’t glued to telly in the late ‘80s, a quick refresher: the original CBS miniseries is held up as pretty much the gold standard when it comes to Westerns on TV, and to be fair, it earned the hype. High stakes, duelling egos, moth-eaten hats, nihilist twists and a slew of Emmys — the lot. Some might say it’s a brave move for Netflix to try topping an act like that, but fortune favours the bold (or, possibly, the desperate for content).

Lonesome Dove bagged 18 nominations and 7 wins at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards, including gongs for directing and casting.

Netflix Throws Its Hat In

The streamer confirmed it’s moving forward with a fresh spin on Lonesome Dove — aiming to introduce its retired rangers and their calamitous cattle drive to a whole new lot of binge-watchers. Source material? That’d be Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer-winner, which follows two old mates (ex-Texas Rangers) riding out from their sleepy border town for one more adventure. In the original, Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones played those leads, so whoever’s next has got their work cut out.

Netflix has snagged Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart as co-showrunners for the project — the same duo behind the upcoming East of Eden adaptation (another prestige book ticked off their list). East of Eden, starring Florence Pugh and a who’s-who of rising talent, is already being tipped as a major autumn draw. While their take on Lonesome Dove is early days (no cast or filming start yet), the powers that be at Netflix are in bullish mood. In a corporate statement, Jinny Howe, Head of Scripted Series, laid it on thick:

‘Lonesome Dove is one of the great American stories, and there was no question we wanted to follow Zoe and Jeb wherever they went next. After East of Eden, we know exactly what they're capable of — the depth of character, the sweep of place, the emotional precision. This material deserves that level of care. In their hands, it’s going to be something extraordinary.’

New Faces, Old Trails

And in case you thought Netflix was just after a single nostalgia-hit, think again. Teton Ridge Entertainment picked up the rights to all four Lonesome Dove books last year — so the plan is to start with the original, then barrel straight on to Streets of Laredo, Dead Man's Walk, and Comanche Moon. It’s less a toe-dip than a business takeover. The numbers also don’t hurt: the original runs a 98% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, for anyone counting.

• Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart: Co-showrunners (their last project, East of Eden, drops later this year)
• First instalment adapts Lonesome Dove; sequels are on the table
• Original series won 7 Emmys (casting, directing, costume design, and more) out of 18 nominations

The Lonesome Dove reboot has no cast or release date yet and is only just off the starting blocks, but Netflix seems serious about giving the Western its due.