| Developer: | Bridget Carpenter |
| Theme Music Composer: | J. J. Abrams |
| Composer: | Alex Heffes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Episodes: | 8 |
| Editor: | Dorian Harris |
| Cinematography: | David Katznelson |
| Runtime: | 44–81 minutes |
| Network: | Hulu |
11.22.63 is an American science fiction thriller television miniseries based on the 2011 novel 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and consisting of eight episodes, in which a time traveler attempts to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.[1] The series is executive-produced by J. J. Abrams, King, Bridget Carpenter, and Bryan Burk, and produced by James Franco, who also starred in the main role. It premiered on Hulu on February 15, 2016,[2] and was received positively by critics.
Jake Epping, a recently divorced English teacher from Lisbon, Maine, is presented with the chance to travel back in time to 1960 by his long-time friend Al Templeton. He is persuaded into going in an attempt to prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963; however, he becomes attached to the life he makes in the past, which could be the mission's undoing. He must find a way to secretly gather information about people and events leading up to the assassination while also creating and maintaining a new life to avoid suspicion.
In August 2011, before the novel's release, it was announced that Jonathan Demme had attached himself to write, produce, and direct a film adaptation of 11/22/63 with King serving as executive producer.[10] However, in December 2012, Demme announced that he had withdrawn from the project, after disagreeing with King over what to include in the script.[11]
On April 26, 2013, it was reported that Warner Bros. Television and J. J. Abrams' Bad Robot were in negotiations for the rights to adapt the novel as a TV series or miniseries.[12] On September 22, 2014, it was announced that a TV series based on the novel was picked up by Hulu.[13] Carol Spier would be a production designer.[14] The first trailer for the series was released on November 19, 2015.
When asked about developing a sequel series, King stated, "I'd love to revisit Jake and Sadie, and also revisit the rabbit hole that dumps people into the past, but sometimes it's best not to go back for a second helping."[15]
James Franco was chosen to star as the character of Jake Epping.[16] After reading the novel, Franco contacted King about the rights to adapt it to film only to be told that Abrams had already acquired them.[17] Franco wrote an essay about the book for Vice, which was noticed by Abrams, and tweeted about his disappointment at not getting the film rights, which was noticed by Bridget Carpenter. Soon after, they offered him the lead role.[18] He accepted the role under the condition that he would be able to direct part of the series.[19] Sarah Gadon was cast for the role of Sadie Dunhill. She was interested in the role in part because it gave her the opportunity to work with Abrams.[20]
Filming began on June 9, 2015, in Hespeler, Ontario.[21] Filming during June 2015 also took place in Guelph, Ontario, as well as in Ayr, Ontario, at the Queen's Tavern Hamilton, Ontario, and in Knowles Restaurant in Dunnville, Ontario, during September 2015.[22] [23] During filming in Guelph, there was an incident where a man on a motorized bicycle drove past security at high speed before being stopped whereupon he was found to have crystal meth in his possession and he was arrested. In early October, the production moved to Dallas to film exterior locations at Dealey Plaza.[24] During this time, the filming of various scenes during rush hour caused bumper to bumper traffic in the surrounding streets.[25]
The show received positive reviews from most critics. Based on 64 reviews, the show carries an 83% rating, with an average percentage of 7.19/10, on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes where the consensus states: "Though the execution feels almost as dated as the period it represents, 11.22.63 gradually reveals a compelling, well-performed series of events."[26] On Metacritic, the show has a rating of 69 out of 100, based on 35 reviews.[27]
Jack Moore of GQ commented that "the show is moody and supernatural, while somehow also remaining grounded and full of heart", and lauded Franco as the show's standout, saying "what Franco gives is a vanity-free, indulgence-free performance that feels like the work of an Old Hollywood legend. It's earnest and full-hearted."[28] Alan Sepinwall also acclaimed Franco, stating "Franco's a revelation as Jake. He's an immensely talented actor and he's got the star quality you need to carry something this crazy, and this long."[29] Vicki Hyman of the Newark Star-Ledger praised the performances of Franco and Gadon, writing: "Their stirring romance carries with it the same whiff of doom as Epping's visits to Dealey Plaza, and gives what could be merely an interesting and handsomely-made take on the conspiracy thriller genre more texture and depth, resonating across the ages."[30] Hank Stuever of The Washington Post wrote that "King's work doesn't always happily travel through the portal connecting the page to the TV screen, but Hulu scores with an impressively stout-hearted, eight-part adaptation of 11/22/63."[31]
On the other hand, Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly had a more mixed reaction and criticized Franco's performance, calling it "low-watt" and "disinterested". He wrote "11.22.63 reaches some thoughtful, moving conclusions, but oh, what could have been with a more engaged star. If only there were a time machine to fix that mistake."[32] Caroline Framke of Vox describes Franco's performance as inconsistent from scene to scene, but also that the show itself creates even more ambiguity with his character. She wrote "While he's technically old enough to portray 37-year-old Jake, Franco certainly doesn't read as anywhere close to 37, or the world-weariness Jake's supposed to exhibit" [33] Slate author Willa Paskin believes though Franco is well known and well accomplished, he can't seem to get the "average guy" act right for this series.[34]
11.22.63 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 9, 2016, in Region 1. The release includes all eight episodes, as well as a special feature titled "When the Future Fights Back", where King, Abrams, Carpenter and Franco talk about elements of the production that turned King's novel into an event series.[36]