It’s been over a quarter century since Tom Wolfe‘s A Man in Full hit shelves, but the story is still just as relevant (and ripe for adaptation) as ever. Now Netflix has revealed the first look at its limited series adaptation of the story, and it looks like this star-studded take on the downfall of a Southern real estate mogul will be a gripping affair indeed.
A Man in Full is written and executive produced by David E. Kelley and directed by Regina King and centers on Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels), a property tycoon who faces sudden bankruptcy and has to fight to save his empire from others.
The novel, which was Wolfe’s second overall, offers a scathing presentation of high society in Atlanta, Georgia, and the central character is widely considered an amalgamation of several real-life business figures from its era. It features themes like revenge, racial tensions in the city, and political entanglements.
In the trailer for the series, Croker says, ominously, “When you die, will people notice? I heard once a man reaches a point when he’s older. That ain’t the tragedy. The tragedy is he refuses to recognize it.”
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A Man in Full, Limited Series Premiere, Netflix, May 2