Netflix Orders New LONESOME DOVE Series From EAST OF EDEN Showrunners Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart

Netflix is heading back to the American frontier with one of the most celebrated Western stories ever put on the page.

The streamer has officially ordered a Lonesome Dove series, with Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart set to serve as co-showrunners. The pair are already working together on Netflix’s upcoming limited series East of Eden, and now they’ll tackle Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Western epic.

Kazan and Stuart were brought onto the project by Teton Ridge Entertainment, which acquired the rights to McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove novels last year.

The company previously announced plans to begin with Lonesome Dove before potentially expanding into the other books in the tetralogy, Streets of Laredo, Dead Man’s Walk, and Comanche Moon.

Netflix’s official logline reads: “Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call renew their spirit of adventure as they face an uncertain future, embarking on one final, perilous cattle drive from the Rio Grande to the untamed wilderness of Montana in pursuit of a dream that they have perhaps already outlived.

“These two former Texas Rangers lead an unforgettable cast of characters across the American west in this sweeping odyssey defined by unrequited longing, unbreakable friendship, brutal frontier justice, and an unwavering pursuit of a meaningful life.”

McMurtry published Lonesome Dove in 1985, and the novel became the foundation for the hugely successful 1989 CBS miniseries starring Robert Duvall. That adaptation drew around 26 million viewers and won both Emmy and Golden Globe awards.

Its success eventually led to Return to Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo, Dead Man’s Walk, and Comanche Moon, along with the 1994 syndicated production Lonesome Dove: The Series.

The larger series of novels follows members of the Texas Rangers across a long stretch of American history, beginning when Texas was still a republic and continuing into the early 20th century.

Kazan and Stuart will write, executive produce, and serve as co-showrunners on Netflix’s adaptation. Netflix head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada Jinny Howe said:

“Lonesome Dove is one of the great American stories, and there was no question we wanted to follow Zoe and Jeb wherever they went next. After East of Eden, we know exactly what they’re capable of — the depth of character, the sweep of place, the emotional precision.

“This material deserves that level of care. In their hands, it’s going to be something extraordinary. We’re excited to partner with Teton Ridge to bring this legendary story to life.”

Kazan and Stuart added in a joint statement that “we come to this material with love and respect, and can’t wait to hit the trail with Gus and Call and the rest of these beloved characters.”

Share also talked about the opportunity to introduce McMurtry’s Western to another generation: “‘Lonesome Dove’ is the kind of story that only comes along once in a generation.

“Its characters, scope and deeply human portrait of the American West have made it an enduring classic, and we see an extraordinary opportunity to bring Larry McMurtry’s world to a new generation of audiences.”

Ossana, who has a history with McMurtry, said: “Lonesome Dove has been part of my creative life for decades, an important part of Larry’s and my partnership journey.

“Its characters, landscape, and profound understanding of friendship, love, loss, and human longing have stayed with me, and it is deeply meaningful to help bring this newly imagined, extraordinary world of Lonesome Dove to a contemporary generation while preserving the emotional truths that make all of Larry’s work timeless.”

Taking on Lonesome Dove comes with some serious expectations. The 1989 miniseries remains a great and beloved Western, and Duvall’s Gus McCrae is a performance that fans still hold close nearly four decades later.

Netflix doesn’t need to recreate what CBS already accomplished. The more interesting prospect is seeing Kazan and Stuart build their own version of McMurtry’s sprawling story while keeping the friendship between Gus and Call at its heart.

There’s a lot of great material to work with here, and if Netflix intends to continue through McMurtry’s other novels, this could eventually become a pretty substantial Western saga.

No casting or premiere date for Netflix’s Lonesome Dove has been announced yet.