HBO enlists Minghella's 'Agency'

March 10, 2008 The pay cable network, in partnership with the BBC, has ordered 13 episodes from the Weinstein Co.'s adaptation of the books by Alexander McCall Smith, which is being shepherded by Oscar winner Anthony Minghella. Ever since the Weinstein Co. announced its plans in the summer to produce a two-hour TV movie based on the popular detective novels, the film had been envisioned as a backdoor pilot for a potential TV series. The BBC will air the two-hour pilot as a stand-alone movie next month, while HBO will run it as an opening episode of the series, which is slated to begin production in the summer for a launch in the first quarter.

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