Microsoft is reportedly still working on turning the "Weird West" role playing game Deadlands into an original TV show for its Xbox Live service, despite plans to eventually shut down Xbox Entertainment Studios.
While previous reports stated that only Microsoft's Halo live action projects, along with its Atari documentary, would be moving forward, Shane Hensley, the creator of the Deadlands game, posted word on his Facebook page earlier this month that the project to turn it into a TV show is still moving forward at Microsoft. Indeed, he stated, "Rumors of the Deadlands live action series' demise, I'm happy to say, are greatly exaggerated."
Hensley added that the unnamed writer-director for the Deadlands TV show held meetings with Microsoft's Xbox Entertainment Studios executives and creative teams the day before the company announced the changes at Xbox Entertainment Studios. He wrote:
Both sides report that it was one of the best meetings they've ever had, with ideas flying and enthusiasm high. The group is now working on the series' outline and pilot revisions, and when we're able and if things continue to move ahead, we'll announce the writer / director and at least a little bit about the actual content of the series itself.
Microsoft had a rather ambitious plan to offer a number of different original TV shows that would have been shown exclusively on Xbox Live, but as part of the company's 18,000 employee layoff plans, the lineup of original shows have been heavily cut.
What do you think about the news that Deadlands looks like it will continue to be developed as an Xbox original TV show?
Source: Shane Hensley on Facebook
