AMC is paying homage to its roots as the American Movie Classics channel with a potential new franchise in development. Produced by AMC Studios, Great American Stories is an anthology series where each season “will be devoted to a different celebrated work, historical moment, or individual narrative celebrating and highlighting the American spirit.” The first season will be based on John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath. The announcement was made today ahead of AMC Networks’ 2025 upfront presentation on April 9.
“For more than a year we have been searching for the perfect story to launch our next big television franchise, and we found it in The Grapes of Wrath, which is as timely and relevant today as it was when first published in 1939,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “Our country is built upon so many unforgettable historic and dramatic moments, tales of bravery and courage, classic novels, short stories, and chronicles well known and never-before-told. As a network that began its life as American Movie Classics, this is the franchise we’re destined to bring to the screen.”
Rolin Jones (Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire) will adapt The Grapes of Wrath and manage the series, working with different creative talent on subsequent seasons. Also attached to help with the franchise is producer Mark Johnson, who is overseeing the Anne Rice Immortal Universe for AMC and AMC+. Both Jones and Johnson are under deals with AMC Studios.
“We’re thinking about Great American Stories like one of those resolute car factories in Michigan – bring in visionary creators, give them an assembly line of singular talent to build the thing, hand them the keys and get the hell out of the way,” Jones said. “This is Dan McDermott’s big, bold, torpedo bat swing at AMC. He’s hired me to roll a beauty off the factory floor every year. I hope to never have another job for the rest of my career.”
This would mark the latest franchise for AMC, joining Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead and the Anne Rice universe. Johnson has been involved in two of the three, having also served as executive producer on Breaking Bad and prequel Better Call Saul.
“Never have I felt more professional pressure than in accepting this challenge to help translate some legendary American stories to the television screen,” he said. “I am utterly grateful to AMC for this invitation and truly indebted to Rolin for his trust in me. What a terrifying opportunity!”
