11.22.63 | |
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Genre | |
Based on | 11/22/63 by Stephen King |
Developed by | Bridget Carpenter |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | J. J. Abrams |
Composer | Alex Heffes |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 8 |
Production | |
Executive producers | |
Producers |
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Cinematography | David Katznelson |
Editor | Dorian Harris |
Running time | 44–81 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Hulu |
Release | February 15 – April 4, 2016 |
11.22.63 is an American science fiction thriller television miniseries based on the 2011 novel 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and consisting of eight episodes, in which a time traveler attempts to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy. [1] The series is executive-produced by J. J. Abrams, King, Bridget Carpenter, and Bryan Burk, and produced by James Franco, who also starred in the main role. It premiered on Hulu on February 15, 2016, [2] and was received positively by critics.
Jake Epping, a recently divorced English teacher from Lisbon, Maine, is presented with the chance to travel back in time to 1960 by his long-time friend Al Templeton. He is persuaded into going in an attempt to prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963; however, he becomes attached to the life he makes in the past, which could be the mission's undoing. He must find a way to secretly gather information about people and events leading up to the assassination while also creating and maintaining a new life to avoid suspicion.
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | ||||
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1 | "The Rabbit Hole" | Kevin Macdonald | Bridget Carpenter | February 15, 2016 | 4X6451 | ||||
4X6452 | |||||||||
Diner owner Al Templeton reveals a time portal to October 21, 1960, in his closet to his friend, English teacher Jake Epping. Dying of cancer, Al asks Jake to travel back to the 1960s and prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy. Al explains his own past attempts and mistakes to Jake to stop it, noting his apparent onset of cancer prevented him from spending extended time in the past. Armed with Al's research, Jake goes to 1960 (under the name James Amberson) and surveils a Kennedy intimate, believed to be Lee Harvey Oswald's handler. He finds that the past is "pushing back" as accidents and incidents make it difficult for him to achieve his goals. He returns to his lodgings to find them burning, Al's notes nearly all destroyed, and the landlady's son dead. He decides to give up, and "return to Maine", but stops to try and prevent a multiple murder he had heard about in the present. | |||||||||
2 | "The Kill Floor" | Fred Toye | Quinton Peeples | February 22, 2016 | 4X6453 | ||||
In 1960 Kentucky, Jake tests his ability to alter the past by attempting to prevent the murder of the family of one of his future night school students, Harry Dunning, by his father Frank, an abusive alcoholic. Jake learns from Bill Turcotte that Frank had also killed his sister and her baby when he was a small boy. Jake is forced to reveal to Bill that he is from the future. | |||||||||
3 | "Other Voices, Other Rooms" | James Strong | Brian Nelson | February 29, 2016 | 4X6454 | ||||
Jake takes Bill on a walking tour of Dealey Plaza, sharing an outline of the future events. Jake moves to Fort Worth and finds a job at a school in the nearby small town of Jodie, where he forms a connection with a librarian, Sadie Dunhill. Jake and Bill surveil Lee Harvey Oswald, who has just returned from Russia. Bill insists on experiencing the night life of Dallas, and they unintentionally encounter Jack Ruby as the owner of a strip club. Bill is talkative when drunk, and Jack tries to cultivate a more serious behavior the next morning. Jake purchases wireless microphones and tape recording equipment. Jake is clumsy in both his school relationship with Sadie and the installation of the microphones. | |||||||||
4 | "The Eyes of Texas" | Fred Toye | Quinton Peeples & Bridgette Wilson | March 7, 2016 | 4X6455 | ||||
Oswald practices assembling his sniper rifle and takes the infamous picture with it. Jake and Bill follow Oswald and George to a brothel but things go wrong. Miss Mimi confronts Jake after discovering he's using a fake name, forcing Jake to make up a cover story. Sadie and Jake's relationship is tested by the return of Sadie's abusive ex-husband, Johnny Clayton, who refuses to finalize their divorce. Sadie discovers recordings of Oswald in the basement of Jake's house. | |||||||||
5 | "The Truth" | James Franco | Bridget Carpenter | March 14, 2016 | 4X6456 | ||||
Jake and Bill get ready to discover if Oswald acted alone in shooting General Walker. However, Time intervenes by distracting Bill with an illusion of his sister. Meanwhile, Johnny demands Jake come to Sadie's house where he holds both hostage with a gun after disfiguring her. Eventually, Jake and Sadie blind and then kill Johnny. Later at the hospital Jake decides to reveal to Sadie the whole truth about who he really is and where he's from. | |||||||||
6 | "Happy Birthday, Lee Harvey Oswald" | John David Coles | Bridget Carpenter | March 21, 2016 | 4X6457 | ||||
Jake discovers Bill has become intimately involved with Marina and has become Oswald's best friend. Bill reveals to Oswald that his apartment is under surveillance. Fearing Bill will become the second shooter, Jake has him committed. Time begins to push back by threatening Sadie's life during plastic surgery. After finding out that Oswald is acting alone and without CIA backing, Jake decides to kill Oswald. Before he can, he's attacked by his bookie and his thugs leaving him unable to remember anything. | |||||||||
7 | "Soldier Boy" | James Kent | Bridget Carpenter & Quinton Peeples | March 28, 2016 | 4X6458 | ||||
Jake wakes from his coma just days before the assassination date, suffering from amnesia. Sadie tries to help him as he struggles to remember what he needs to do. They visit Bill at the asylum in the hope that he will jog Jake's memory; however, addled by his treatment and Jake's insistence that time travel is real, Bill commits suicide. Jake relies on Sadie's help to recover his memory. Jake has full recall after a visit with Oswald in his house. | |||||||||
8 | "The Day in Question" | James Strong | Bridget Carpenter | April 4, 2016 | 4X6459 | ||||
During the events of November 22, 1963, Jake and Sadie struggle against the past on their way to the final confrontation with Oswald. Jake stops Oswald but during the scuffle, Sadie is killed. Jake travels back to 2016 only to find it has become a wasteland. Through Harry Dunning he learns that after JFK served two terms, Alabama governor and segregationist George Wallace was elected president. War broke out and although Kennedy founded a series of refugee camps, there is great suffering in the world. A resigned Jake travels back to October 1960, thus resetting the timeline, where he immediately meets Sadie again, but decides not to pursue a relationship in order to save her life. In the present Jake travels back to Jodie and finds Sadie in her 80s receiving a prestigious lifetime achievement award. Jake shares a dance with her. |
In August 2011, before the novel's release, it was announced that Jonathan Demme had attached himself to write, produce, and direct a film adaptation of 11/22/63 with King serving as executive producer. [11] However, in December 2012, Demme announced that he had withdrawn from the project, after disagreeing with King over what to include in the script. [12]
On April 26, 2013, it was reported that Warner Bros. Television and J. J. Abrams' Bad Robot were in negotiations for the rights to adapt the novel as a TV series or miniseries. [13] On September 22, 2014, it was announced that a TV series based on the novel was picked up by Hulu. [14] Carol Spier would be a production designer. [15] The first trailer for the series was released on November 19, 2015. [1]
When asked about developing a sequel series, King stated, "I'd love to revisit Jake and Sadie, and also revisit the rabbit hole that dumps people into the past, but sometimes it's best not to go back for a second helping." [16]
James Franco was chosen to star as the character of Jake Epping. [3] After reading the novel, Franco contacted King about the rights to adapt it to film only to be told that Abrams had already acquired them. [17] Franco wrote an essay about the book for Vice, which was noticed by Abrams, and tweeted about his disappointment at not getting the film rights, which was noticed by Bridget Carpenter. Soon after, they offered him the lead role. [18] He accepted the role under the condition that he would be able to direct part of the series. [19] Sarah Gadon was cast for the role of Sadie Dunhill. She was interested in the role in part because it gave her the opportunity to work with Abrams. [20]
Filming began on June 9, 2015, in Hespeler, Ontario. [21] Filming during June 2015 also took place in Guelph, Ontario, as well as in Ayr, Ontario, at the Queen's Tavern Hamilton, Ontario, and in Knowles Restaurant in Dunnville, Ontario, during September 2015. [22] [23] During filming in Guelph, there was an incident where a man on a motorized bicycle drove past security at high speed before being stopped whereupon he was found to have crystal meth in his possession and he was arrested. [22] In early October, the production moved to Dallas to film exterior locations at Dealey Plaza. [24] During this time, the filming of various scenes during rush hour caused bumper to bumper traffic in the surrounding streets. [25]
The show received positive reviews from most critics. Based on 64 reviews, the show carries an 83% rating, with an average percentage of 7.19/10, on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes where the consensus states: "Though the execution feels almost as dated as the period it represents, 11.22.63 gradually reveals a compelling, well-performed series of events." [26] On Metacritic, the show has a rating of 69 out of 100, based on 35 reviews. [27]
Jack Moore of GQ commented that "the show is moody and supernatural, while somehow also remaining grounded and full of heart", and lauded Franco as the show's standout, saying "what Franco gives is a vanity-free, indulgence-free performance that feels like the work of an Old Hollywood legend. It's earnest and full-hearted." [28] Alan Sepinwall also acclaimed Franco, stating "Franco's a revelation as Jake. He's an immensely talented actor and he's got the star quality you need to carry something this crazy, and this long." [29] Vicki Hyman of the Newark Star-Ledger praised the performances of Franco and Gadon, writing: "Their stirring romance carries with it the same whiff of doom as Epping's visits to Dealey Plaza, and gives what could be merely an interesting and handsomely-made take on the conspiracy thriller genre more texture and depth, resonating across the ages." [30] Hank Stuever of The Washington Post wrote that "King's work doesn't always happily travel through the portal connecting the page to the TV screen, but Hulu scores with an impressively stout-hearted, eight-part adaptation of 11/22/63." [31]
On the other hand, Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly had a more mixed reaction and criticized Franco's performance, calling it "low-watt" and "disinterested". He wrote "11.22.63 reaches some thoughtful, moving conclusions, but oh, what could have been with a more engaged star. If only there were a time machine to fix that mistake." [32] Caroline Framke of Vox describes Franco's performance as inconsistent from scene to scene, but also that the show itself creates even more ambiguity with his character. She wrote "While he's technically old enough to portray 37-year-old Jake, Franco certainly doesn't read as anywhere close to 37, or the world-weariness Jake's supposed to exhibit" [33] Slate author Willa Paskin believes though Franco is well known and well accomplished, he can't seem to get the "average guy" act right for this series. [34]
Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
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Saturn Awards | Best Television Presentation | 11.22.63 | Won | [35] |
11.22.63 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 9, 2016, in Region 1. The release includes all eight episodes, as well as a special feature titled "When the Future Fights Back", where King, Abrams, Carpenter and Franco talk about elements of the production that turned King's novel into an event series. [36]
Jeffrey Warren Daniels is an American actor. He is known for his work on stage and screen playing diverse characters switching between comedy and drama. He is the recipient of several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for five Golden Globe Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Tony Awards.
Derry is a fictional town in the U.S. state of Maine that has served as the setting for a number of Stephen King's novels, novellas, and short stories, notably It. Derry first appeared in King's 1981 short story "The Bird and the Album" and has reappeared as recently as his 2011 novel 11/22/63.
Brooklyn Sudano is an American actress and director. She starred as Vanessa Scott in the ABC comedy series My Wife and Kids and later played the leading role in the 2006 drama film Rain. Sudano has appeared in films such as Alone in the Dark II (2008), Turn the Beat Around (2010) and With This Ring (2015), and starred in the NBC action series, Taken (2017).
Sarah Lynn Gadon is a Canadian actress. She began her acting career guest-starring in a number of television series, such as Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1999), Mutant X (2002), and Dark Oracle (2004). She also worked as a voice actress on various television productions. Gadon gained recognition for her roles in David Cronenberg's films A Dangerous Method (2011), Cosmopolis (2012), and Maps to the Stars (2014). She also starred in Denis Villeneuve's thriller Enemy (2013), the period drama Belle (2013), and the action horror film Dracula Untold (2014).
Bridget Carpenter is a television writer and playwright.
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11/22/63 is a novel by American author Stephen King about a time traveler who attempts to prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy, which occurred on November 22, 1963. It is the 60th book published by Stephen King, his 49th novel and the 42nd under his own name. The novel required considerable research to accurately portray the late 1950s and early 1960s. King commented on the amount of research it required, saying "I've never tried to write anything like this before. It was really strange at first, like breaking in a new pair of shoes."
11-22-63 may refer to:
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James Franco is an American actor and filmmaker. He began acting on television, guest-starring in Pacific Blue (1997). He landed his breakthrough role in the comedy-drama television series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000). After his film debut in Never Been Kissed (1999), Franco won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award and Primetime Emmy Award in the same categories for playing the eponymous actor in the 2001 television biopic James Dean. He went on to play Harry Osborn in the superhero film Spider-Man (2002), and reprised the role in its sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). For the last of the three, he garnered a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. His only screen appearance of 2003 was in the ballet film The Company. Franco directed and starred in the comedy The Ape (2005).
Lucy Elizabeth Fry is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Zoey in Lightning Point, Lyla in Mako: Island of Secrets, and Lissa Dragomir in the film Vampire Academy. Fry was also cast in Hulu's eight part miniseries 11.22.63 as Marina Oswald, wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, and played the lead in the 2016 Australian horror television series Wolf Creek and Tikka in the 2017 Netflix film Bright. Since 2019, she has portrayed Stella Gigante in the Epix series Godfather of Harlem.
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Richard "Richie" Tozier is a fictional character created by Stephen King and one of the main characters of his 1986 novel It. The character is a member of "The Losers Club" and is seen to be the comic relief of the group; however, his loudmouthed antics often get him in trouble, leading to him being called "Richie 'Trashmouth' Tozier" and his friends often using the phrase "Beep Beep Richie" when they want him to be quiet. He is known for being a closeted gay character and he is teased by antagonist, Pennywise, who sang the words "I know your secret, your dirty little secret!" to him because of this. He is secretly in love with Eddie Kaspbrak, which is hinted in a scene in It Chapter Two, which shows R+E carved into the kissing bridge. He was portrayed by Seth Green as a child and Harry Anderson as an adult in the 1990 miniseries adaptation of the novel, and by Ankur Javeri as a child and Nasirr Khan as an adult in the novel's 1998 television series adaptation. He was later portrayed by Finn Wolfhard as a child and Bill Hader as an adult in the 2017 film and its 2019 sequel.
Beverly "Bev" Marsh is a fictional character created by Stephen King and one of the main characters of his 1986 horror novel It. The character is seen as a member of "The Losers Club" and a romantic interest of fellow members Bill Denbrough and Ben Hanscom.
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