HBO and "Game of Thrones" producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss received plenty of criticism following the announcement of their plan to do a new show called "Confederate." Its premise was not a hit with the fans because it centered on a highly sensitive theme: slavery.
"Confederate' follows the events of the American Civil War but it will be told as an alternative history. Instead of abolished slavery, the show will delve into a different timeline where the practice remains a legal part of the system.
"Confederate" has been compared to Amazon's "Man in the High Castle," which tells the alternative story of Adolf Hitler winning World War II.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss said via The Wrap that they originally thought this project would work as a feature film, but having been with HBO for years, they decided to develop the story for the network.
The backlash and the defense
But fans on Twitterverse had a lot to say about "Confederate" and its seemingly racist undertones. They accused the producers of creating a "white slavery fanfic" to market as prestige TV.
The backlash was so immediate that one would think HBO, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would consider ditching the project as initial reactions have been overwhelmingly negative. Instead, they defended their decision to do a drama series about slavery.
Speaking with Vulture, David Benioff and D.B.
Weiss revealed that "Confederate" will also have two head writers who are black -- Nichelle Tramble Spellman and her husband Malcolm Spellman. With the four of them putting a highly ambitious show together, the showrunners assure viewers they will get this story right.
“[Slavery] is our original sin as a nation," D.B. Weiss said.
"That sin is still with us in many ways," he stated, adding that "Confederate" as alternative history should be treated as science fiction. He believes “Confederate” will help open conversations about things that should be addressed instead of running away from them.
For the Spellmans, the backlash was anticipated and they knew they had a volatile story.
But Nichelle Tramble Spellman said she's both excited and terrified of what the show will look like when it comes together.
Still in development
The showrunners also reveal that "Confederate" is still in its very early stages of development. There are still no outlines or scripts. They haven't even discussed the names of the characters, so for them, the anger from the public is a tad premature and unnecessary as it’s still too early for anyone to conclude the show is offensive or bad when there's nothing to watch yet.
The producers plan to start working on “Confederate” after the final season of “Game of Thrones” in mid-2018.
