Drama From 'True Blood' Creator Gets Series Order at Cinemax

Alan Ball

Alan Ball is working double time for HBO.

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The premium cabler's sibling network, Cinemax, has given a series order to Ball's crime drama Banshee, ordering 10 episodes of the project that will be executive produced by the True Blood showrunner.

Jonathan Tropper and David Schicker will pen the drama, which revolves around a criminal who steps into the identity of the Banshee, Penn., where he continues his shady ways while being hunted by gangsters he crossed in his past.

House's Greg Yaitanes will direct the pilot and executive produce with Ball, Tropper, Schickler and Peter Macdissi.

Ball will juggle Banshee with his duties on HBO's campy Anna Paquin vampire drama True Blood, which is in production on its fifth season.

Cinemax has been making a bigger push into original scripted fare with Strike Back picked up for a sophomore season, Melissa George action drama Nemesis and a reboot of the feature series Transporter, starring Chris Vance.

In addition to Banshee and True Blood, Ball also has Wichita, an hourlong medical drama in development at HBO about a Kansas surgeon who inadvertently becomes the focal point of a contemporary political, cultural and ethical war surrounding late-term abortions.

Ball inked a multiyear deal with HBO in July.

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