Foxtel has signed Screentime to advance development of The House of Hancock miniseries revealing the extraordinary life of mining magnate Lang Hancock and the dawn of an Australian dynasty.
The six hour drama is to be based on original research using a number of sources; in particular Adele Ferguson’s bestselling biography Gina Rinehart.
The House of Hancock will span Hancock’s life from the ochre red outback of the Pilbara to the glamour of 1980s Perth.
Hancock was the most powerful mining magnate in Australia, fervently devoted to his business and his family name. With an instinct for success, a loving wife, and powerful connections, his greatest joy came from the birth of his daughter, whom he would raise as the single heir to a mining dynasty.
But the death of his wife and the entrance of Rose saw the father/daughter relationship tested – a rift that would be played out on the media stage. Finally reconciling upon his deathbed, Lang would leave his vast business empire to the one he raised as his heir, a choice that would shape not just a nation, but a global economy.
Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh said, “Foxtel is committed to building and expanding our commitment to Australian drama and to bringing remarkable Australian stories to life. The House of Hancock is an enticing idea for the screen and captures the life of a truly extraordinary Australian.
“Foxtel and Screentime’s drama creative teams will work closely together over the next few months to explore the full potential of the miniseries.”
Screentime Executive Chairman Des Monaghan said, “We are delighted to be developing for the screen this extraordinary story about a family who have done so much to shape the Australia of today."