Culture Blues

TV News: Dustin Hoffman in Luck

Dustin Hoffman is set to rescue wife, mental defective, and HBO.

In TV pilot news that we’re legitimately excited about (I don’t care if Countdown is over, I’m still using the “we”), Dustin Hoffman has signed on to star in HBO’s new series Luck, slated to premiere early next year. In Luck, Hoffman will reprise his role as Raymond Babbitt, now a recently paroled ex-con, who concocts a scheme around horse racing. Taking over the role of Charlie Babbitt is Dennis Farina and his intimidating mustache. As if that wasn’t prestigious enough, Michael Mann has signed on to direct the pilot and the whole series is helmed by HBO vet David Milch. Here’s hoping this hews closer to Deadwood than John From Cincinnati (more "cocksuckers", less surfing aliens). In other Hoffman related news, the remake of the Sam Peckinpah classic Straw Dogs has been delayed until mid 2011. There’s no word if the timing has anything to do with Luck, but there are rumors that the pilot features Hoffman’s character hurling a boiling pot of water at a racehorse after it attempts to rape his wife.