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HBO has given a series order to The Righteous Gemstones, a comedy from Danny McBride about a televangelist and his family.
The project will tell the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a history of deviance, greed and, yes, charitable work, all in the name of Jesus. It’s the third series McBride has done for HBO, following Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals.
John Goodman will star as Gemstone family patriarch Eli, who has built a global following via his ministry and weekly TV show. Though he’s no longer the force he once was, he still expects unquestioned loyalty. Goodman also stars on The Conners, the Roseanne spinoff premiering Oct. 16 on ABC.
McBride will play Jesse, Eli’s oldest son and presumed heir to his father’s throne. He wants to take what his father built and expand it for a more modern audience.
The Righteous Gemstones also stars Edi Patterson (Vice Principals) and Adam Devine (Workaholics) as Judy and Kelvin, Eli’s other children; Cassidy Freeman (Longmire) as Amber, Jesse’s wife, who gave up a journalism career to devote herself to the church and her husband; Tony Cavalero (School of Rock) as Keefe Chambers, an ex-Satanist who was saved by Kelvin; Tim Baltz (Bajillion Dollar Properties) as BJ, Judy’s fiance; and GregAlan Williams (Greenleaf) as Martin Imari, Eli’s trusted counsel.
McBride created the series and will executive produce with his Rough House Pictures partners Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. All three will also direct episodes.
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