When we previously reported on the news that HBO was developing a miniseries based on the exciting historical adventures of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, most of the excitement centered around not seeing executive producers Tom Hanks, Ed Norton, or Brad Pitt set foot in front of the camera. Now, the expedition to lead a merry bunch of men in search of a successful and potentially award-winning miniseries has completed another task: filling out the cast roster. Deadline reports that the production has signed up a plethora of young actors to play the members of the expeditionary group the Corps Of Discovery.
The group, captained by Lewis (Casey Affleck) and Clark (Matthias Schoenaerts), was tasked by President Jefferson with locating an all-water route to the Pacific, much as HBO casting seems to have been tasked with assembling an all-sexy-young-bohunks team of thespians. The new recruits include Brendan Fletcher (Gracepoint, but forever in our hearts as the crazed Mark in Freddy Vs. Jason), James Cutler (Kick-Ass 2), Devin Harjes (Gotham), Rob Aramayo, Tim Plester, Tyson Ritter, and David Wilmot.
Given that lineup, it seems likely that this new iteration of the Lewis and Clark story will involve some Magic Mike-style dance revues. Also, it’s based on the book Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose, an historian who wouldn’t let something like verisimilitude get in the way of Lewis inventing the booty drop. The six-hour miniseries begins filming this summer, though there is no word as of yet whether the show will include that time Lewis and Clark fought plant zombies.