Katie Couric Joins Lifetime’s Flint Water Crisis Movie As Executive Producer
Katie Couric is joining Craig Zadan and Neil Meron as an executive producer on Flint, the duo’s Lifetime original movie about the drinking water contamination disaster in Flint, MI, from Sony Pictures Television.
The hard-hitting, fact-based drama will examine the events that led to the “toxic crime” committed agai
nst the residents of the town of Flint, Michigan. It is looking to focus not only on the politics and poor management that led to the poisoning of the water, but also on the human element of the residents who not only suffered, but whose voices were ignored.
Couric who, as global anchor at Yahoo News had followed and reported the story, reached out to Zadan and Meron after news of the project broke on Deadline, expressing her passion for the topic and desire to be involved.
“Like so many others, I am appalled and disgusted by the apathy and negligence shown on the part of the authorities to the people of Flint,” Couric said. “But I look forward to collaborating with Craig and Neil and shedding light on this situation and the people it so deeply affected.” Couric will exec produce through her Katie Couric Media.
Flint
was inspired by Time Magazine’s February 1, 2016 cover story “The Toxic Tap” by Josh Sanburn. Zadan and Meron’s Storyline Entertainment optioned the rights to the article with Sony TV where the company has been under a longtime deal for long-form projects.
Sanburn will serve as consultant on the movie. 2013 Nicholl Fellow Barbara Stepansky is writing the teleplay. Storyline VP Development Mark Nicholson serves as a producer.
Couric’s Sundance documentary Under the Gun, which explores America’s gun violence, is set to debut next week on Epix. She also executive produced 2014’s Fed Up, a documentary that focuses on the alarming and rising rate of obese children in America.
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