ABC Studios has ordered an eight-hour miniseries about the gay rights movement, which will reunite Milk director Gus Van Sant and Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
Deadline reports that When We Rise “chronicles the personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. civil rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to its successes today.”
The project had been in development for two years but was officially given the greenlight today with the announcement of Van Sant’s participation. In addition to directing the first two hours, Van Sant will executive produce along with Black, Bruce Cohen (who also produced Milk) and Laurence Mark (producer of I, Robot; Dreamgirls; and Julie & Julia).
News of the miniseries comes months after the release of Roland Emmerich’s universally panned Stonewall, which was criticized for its whitewashed narrative of the Stonewall Riots.
(h/t A.V. Club)