Last Sunday The Wire, HBO's critically adored drama, ended its five-season run with a final blow that tied up loose ends instead of leaving its characters suspended in time a la Sopranos' smash-cut to black finale.  Nevertheless, the ending of what many consider to be one of the greatest series on television could also mean the beginning of a new majestic drama that only show runner David Simon could deliver.

At present, Simon is in Los Angeles working on his upcoming project for HBO called Generation Kill, a seven-hour scripted miniseries based on the true story of Marines fighting in the Iraq war.

Simon will be teaming up with his usual writing partner Ed Burns, who also served as writer-producer on The Wire and whose experiences have also been loosely reflected on the police drama, to co-write and executive produce the upcoming miniseries.  The pair will take over for Adi Hasak, who was originally attached to pen the project.  George Faber and Charles Pattinson, on the other hand, will serve as executive producers for HBO Films through Company Pictures.

Generation Kill will reportedly look at the early movements of the first Reconnaissance Battalion and depict the complex challenges faced by the U.S.-led mission even in the war's early stages. The series stars David Barrera (Evan Almighty), Chance Kelly (The Departed), Michael Kelly (The Sopranos), Marc Menchaca (The Alamo), Eric Nenninger (Malcolm in the Middle), Pawel Szajda (Under the Tuscan Sun), Rey Valentin (One Tree Hill), Brian Patrick Wade (The Guardian) and Owain Yeoman (The Nine), just to name a few.

Also a key member of the ensemble cast is former Marine and Iraq War veteran Rudy Reyes, who will play himself.

According to insiders, this feature aims for the immediacy, if not the production budget, of HBO's hit WWII project, Band of Brothers.

Meanwhile, fans can still catch the series finale of The Wire on HBO on Demand.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: HBO
(Image courtesy of HBO)