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FIFTH SEASON DEVELOPING BILL O’REILLY’S “CONFRONTING EVIL” BOOK AS NON-SCRIPTED SERIES
LOS ANGELES — Leading global film and television studio FIFTH SEASON is developing a non-scripted series based on “Confronting Evil: Assessing the Worst of the Worst,” the forthcoming book by prominent broadcaster and 19-time #1 bestselling author Bill O’Reilly, as well as Josh Hammer. The book, an examination of twelve evil individuals or groups from across recorded history, is set for publication on September 9th by St. Martin’s Press. The series reunites O’Reilly with Mary Lisio, FIFTH SEASON’s EVP of Non-Scripted Development & Production, who previously executive produced three Emmy®-nominated adaptations of O’Reilly’s books.
Lisio said, “Bill is one of the most accomplished historical nonfiction authors in the world, and ‘Confronting Evil’ is a gripping entry in his extensive body of work. Having worked with him several times before, I know how well his material translates to the screen. I look forward to bringing this newest project to wide audiences, who I know will find it as engaging as it is informative.”
O’Reilly has authored 19 New York Times #1 bestsellers, including the “Killing” series, the best-selling non-fiction series of all time, with over 20 million books in print. An iconic broadcaster for nearly 50 years, he has anchored The O’Reilly Factor — the nation’s highest-rated cable news broadcast for 16 consecutive years — and served as a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News. O’Reilly has earned two Emmy nominations, for past adaptations of his historical non-fiction books, as well as two national news Emmys for his work as a television news correspondent. Beyond “Confronting Evil,” O’Reilly works with Hammer on The O’Reilly Update, the radio show heard weekdays on more than 300 stations nationwide, for which Hammer is a writer and producer. Presently, O'Reilly runs one of the most successful independent news agencies in the world, which is available on his website and on YouTube, and is also a regular contributor to NewsNation.
Confronting Evil recounts the deeds of the worst people in history: Genghis Khan, the Roman emperor Caligula, Henry VIII, 19th-century slave traders, Hitler, Stalin, and others. Collectively, these warlords, tyrants, businessmen, and criminals have been directly responsible for the death and misery of hundreds of millions of people. By telling what they did and why they did it, Confronting Evil explains the struggle between good and evil, and the consequences of human inaction and indifference in the face of evil. As John Stuart Mill said, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."
Confronting Evil will expand a FIFTH SEASON non-scripted slate that also includes an untitled Earth, Wind, & Fire documentary currently in production, directed by Academy Award® and Grammy® winner Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. The division’s recent projects include Emmy nominees McCartney 3, 2, 1 for Hulu, Being Mary Tyler Moore for HBO, and Sean Penn’s Superpower for Paramount+. Other recent titles include Folktales, from Academy Award nominees Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady; the Matt Damon- and Ben Affleck-produced Kiss the Future, nominated for the Berlin Film Festival’s Documentary Award; Omnivore, from world-renowned chef Rene Redzepi for Apple TV+; and Sundance award winner Going Varsity in Mariachi for Netflix.
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