Authors Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman are in the early stages of developing a show for HBO that revolves around a motley crew of con men and magicians who use their skills at deception to battle Hitler during World War II, according to Variety.
Dubbed “Hobgoblin,” the project might seem a little far-fetched, but Blastr reports that the concept is based on historical fact:
Jasper Maskelyne was one such prestidigitator, who used sleight-of-hand techniques and stagecraft to aid the Allied forces by, among other things, disguising tanks inside plywood-and-canvas constructs.
The idea seems like something Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay might have dreamed up. The fictional comic book creators featured in Chabon’s Pulitzer-winning 2000 novel “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” developed a Golden Age character called The Escapist, which Chabon later spun off into a real-world comic book series for Dark Horse in 2004.
And considering its upcoming adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novel “Game of Thrones” and its continuing support of “True Blood,” HBO seems to be developing a taste for fanboy projects. Here’s to hoping this trend continues.
