Former President Bill Clinton’s first novel, set to be released in June 2018, has been picked up to become a Showtime television series.
Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson struck a deal with Showtime to adapt their upcoming thriller novel, The President is Missing, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The book’s premise tells the story of a United States sitting president who mysteriously disappears, and contains details about the presidency that could only be provided by someone who once held the office, according to EW. The novel, once thought to be a good fit for a theatrical film or limited series, was instead picked up by Showtime with the intention for it to become an ongoing drama series.
"Bringing The President is Missing to Showtime is a coup of the highest order," Showtime president and CEO David Nevins said. "The pairing of President Clinton with fiction’s most gripping storyteller promises a kinetic experience, one that the book world has salivated over for months and that now will dovetail perfectly into a politically relevant, character-based action series for our network."
Clinton has written many nonfiction books in the past, but this will be his first novel.
"I’m really enjoying writing this book and working with Jim," Clinton said in a statement. "And I can’t wait to see Showtime bring the characters to life."
"The White House is such an exciting world to explore and is made even more so with the unique insights of a former President," Patterson said.