TNT takes 'Refuge'

Revolution mini recruits cabler, publisher

By JOHN DEMPSEY

NEW YORK -- TNT has a miniseries development deal with its sister company Warner Books for "Last Refuge of Scoundrels," a novel that takes an irreverent look at the events surrounding the American War of Independence.

Warner Books plans to publish the book in the summer of 2000, and TNT, in association with Mandalay Television Pictures, at least tentatively expects to put it into production that summer for cablecasting in the fourth quarter of 2000.

Coming on top of "The Patriot," the big-budget Mel Gibson movie directed by Roland Emmerich for Columbia Pictures also set during the Revolutionary War, a mini-trend may be in the works.

A spokeswoman for TNT declined to comment on "Scoundrels," but Patrick Faulstich, with the Broder/Kurland/Webb/Uffner Agency, says Paul Lussier is completing the novel and will be one of the executive producers of the miniseries. Lussier is a TV veteran, having served as executive producer of TV movies such as CBS's "Blue Rodeo" and Fox's "Doing Time on Maple Drive."

"Scoundrels" will be "a detailed and vivid picture of late 18th century America, featuring two characters whose paths crisscross through the leading events of the American Revolution," Faulstich said.

Owen Laster, executive VP and head of worldwide literary operations for William Morris, prepared Lussier's deal with Warner Books and TNT. Sources said Lussier could pocket a mid-six-figures bankroll from the contract if the miniseries goes off as scheduled.