In some ways, it’s a surprise this hasn’t happened before, but Deadline is reporting that a TV series based on Goodfellas is in the works. To be precise, it’s not based on the film, but will instead take Nicholas Pillegi’s non-fiction book, which was the basis for Scorsese’s film, as its starting point.
Deadline says that Pillegi himself is likely to write the pilot episode, with Warner Bros. TV in prime position to pick up the rights and make it (after all, they made the movie), although several other parties are said to be interested. There’s no news on whether Scorsese has any involvement in this at all.
To be honest a TV series could work well – if done right – as the film had to race through the story of Henry Hill, and how he got involved with the mob, who he eventually ratted out. There’s a huge amount of scope for the story, although as always, true-life crime tales can be tought to pull off, especially when everyone is going to compare it to Scorsese’s classic. Will this get past the pilot stage? We’ll just have to wait and see.