Tom Fontana to showrun Vatican drama series based on ‘The Devil’s Business’

Fabel Entertainment has secured the television adaptation rights to ‘The Devil’s Business’, a forthcoming book by investigative journalist Emanuele Midolo. The series will be created and showrun by Tom Fontana, known for his work on ‘Oz’, ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’, and ‘Borgia’.

Set in the 1980s, the period drama will focus on Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, an American clergyman known as ‘The Pope’s Bodyguard’. The narrative follows Marcinkus from his early days as the unofficial bodyguard for Pope Paul VI to his leadership role within the Vatican’s finances. The series aims to explore themes of faith, corruption, and power amidst the financial and political scandals that characterized that era.

Fabel Entertainment is leading the development of the project and will produce alongside the Italian production company Picomedia, which is owned by Fremantle. Midolo’s book is scheduled for publication by Penguin Books imprint Century in June 2028.