Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy is headed to the small screen, Variety reports.
Apple TV is developing an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s trio of novels set in New York from the 1960s through the 1980s.
Whitehead’s trilogy launched in 2021 with Harlem Shuffle, which tells the story of Ray Carney, a furniture salesperson who begins fencing goods stolen by his cousin, Freddie. The novel was shortlisted for a Kirkus Prize and a National Book Critics Circle Award.
Whitehead brought Ray back for two more novels: Crook Manifesto, published in 2023, which won the Gotham Book Prize, and Cool Machine, published last month. All three installments in the trilogy received starred reviews from Kirkus.
The adaptation of the trilogy will be written by Graham Yost (Speed, The Last Castle) and Aric Avelino (Animal Kingdom, Silo). They will executive-produce along with Whitehead and If Beale Street Could Talk director Barry Jenkins.
Two of Whitehead’s previous novels have been adapted for the screen. His 2016 novel, The Underground Railroad, formed the basis for a 2021 miniseries directed by Jenkins, starring Thuso Mbedu and Aaron Pierre. His 2019 novel, The Nickel Boys, was adapted into the Oscar-nominated 2024 film directed by RaMell Ross, starring Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
