The new Apple TV+ TV series Benjamin Franklin is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff's book "A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America."
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| Image Credit: Apple TV+ |
Apple TV+ has released the trailer for Benjamin Franklin, the new limited series, starring and executive produced by Oscar, Emmy, and AFI Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Douglas, which will debut on April 12 with the first three episodes of the total eight, followed by a new episode every Friday until May 17. Based on Stacy Schiff's Pulitzer Prize-winning book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, Benjamin Franklin explores the thrilling story of the biggest gamble of Benjamin Franklin's career. In December 1776, Franklin is world-famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when – with the fate of American independence hanging in the balance – he embarks on a secret mission in France. At age 70, with no diplomatic training, Franklin convinces an absolute monarchy to support the American experiment in democracy.
Thanks to his fame, his charisma, and his ingenuity, Franklin overcame many obstacles, including British spies, French informants, and hostile colleagues, to organize the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England of 1783. French mission, which lasted eight years, is the most important service rendered by Franklin to his country, without which America would not have been able to win the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it today as the largest assignment by a single ambassador in the nation's history.
Benjamin Franklin also stars Noah Jupe as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan as John Adams, Assaad Bouab as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar as Madame Helvetius and Theodore Pellerin as the Marquis de Lafayette. In addition to Douglas, the creative team includes Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis (John Adams) and nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder (Boardwalk Empire).
Emmys, WGAs, and Pulitzer Prizes. Tim Van Patten (Masters of the Air, The Sopranos), winner of an Emmy and a DGA Award, serves as director and executive producer. Richard Plepler executive produces through EDEN Productions, Tony Krantz through Flame Ventures; Philippe Maigret and Mark Mostyn are executive producers, and Stacy Schiff is co-executive producer. “Franklin” is a co-production between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.
