HBO Developing 1980s Russian Spy Drama

EXCLUSIVE: Before Anna Chapman, there were scores of other Russia/Soviet Union spies in the U.S. living seemingly normal lives while sending secret dispatches to Moscow. One of them is the subject of a period drama series project in development at HBO, from writer-director Martyn Burke (Pirates of Silicon Valley). Set in 1980s, the project, tentatively titled Reds, is based on real-life events from Burke's early film career. In the 80s, he was traveling the U.S. with a camera crew while making a documentary. However, unbeknownst to him, the sound man on the crew was in reality a colonel in the Soviet KGB. The Soviet spy later set up his base of operations outside New York City while attempting to raise a family as an ordinary American citizen but was eventually caught. Burke, repped by Brent Travers of Ascend Entertainment and attorney Shep Rosenman, is currently editing the documentary Journalists Under Fire for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., about the psychological stresses war journalists face while covering conflicts. Burke also is in early pre-production on Brazil-Canada co-production A Death In The Bullfighting Hills, co-produced by Sao Paulo's Bossa Nova Films. The feature is based on the true story of the life and love of assassinated Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio and his wife.

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