Paramount+ has dominated the streaming wars thanks to its vast array of original content, including movies and television shows. One of the biggest reasons for its success is creatives like Taylor Sheridan, whose many original series he helped develop, write, and executive produce have topped the streaming charts. Landman, Lioness, and The Mayor of Kingstown have run for multiple seasons on Paramount+, with no end in sight. MobLand, co-created by Guy Ritchie, has also proven successful despite behind-the-scenes production troubles. It’s the kind of crime-thriller project Paramount wants to keep replicating. So it’s no surprise that Paramount+ head of original content Jen Wiseman has confirmed another television project is in development. While speaking to Deadline about the future of the streaming service without Sheridan (since the creative has made a new deal with NBCUniversal), Wiseman said they plan other original series in the same vein as Sheridan’s work. Enter: Cop Land, the 1997 crime thriller that showcased action star Sylvester Stallone in a completely different light than what had been expected of the actor at the time. Originally distributed by Mirimax, the film’s premise proved interesting enough to retool into a television series, opening up Cop Land to a different kind of long-form storytelling that thrives in the age of streaming. It was first revealed in June that Paramount+ landed the Cop Land series in what was reportedly a competitive bidding war. Wiseman told Deadline, “We’re definitely working with our partners, and we’re really, really open to finding more IP from Paramount,” alluding to Cop Land, “because it’s really important. It’s our home.” This new interview with Wiseman has officially confirmed that the Cop Land series is in active development, and that it was acquired because of how well it fits in with their catalog of original series, saying:
“It is early, and again, our offering is so robust. We have a lot in the pipeline, so it’s a little bit early. But Cop Land, besides being Paramount IP and from an incredible team and our sister studio FTVS, it felt like something that would go really well with the audiences that watch these other shows, so it felt like a good shot to take.”

Miramax

The original report on the Cop Land series said James Mangold would be involved in developing the show, which may be why the competition to acquire the IP was so fierce. The director, known for his work directing Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and most recently A Complete Unknown, hasn’t worked in television for a decade, making the Cop Land series feel like a momentous occasion.

Cop Land works so well as a movie not just because of its unique premise of police officers living in their own community free from any sort of jurisdiction or accountability, but also because of how restrained it was. For a late 90s film starring Sylvester Stallone, Cop Land has very little action. Instead, Mangold’s thriller thrives on tension, build-up, and cathartic shootouts towards the end. Hopefully, the series will emulate that same masterful pacing and find a cast as talented as the film, which also included Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta.

Release Date

August 15, 1997

Runtime

104 minutes

Producers

Bob Weinstein, Cary Woods, Cathy Konrad, Ezra Swerdlow, Harvey Weinstein