John Malkovich to star in cannabis series

John Malkovich to play a cannabis-dealing character. At 62, he is embarking on a series based on the book «Humboldt: Life on America's marijuana Frontier». He will play the head of a family in which all the protagonists are cannabis dealers. The best-selling book has won Hollywood over for a series. The book describes the lifestyle of a county in Northern California that specializes in the marijuana trade.

We'll be following the family of the character played by John Malkovich, who make their fortune from the production and sale of cannabis. They will have to face up to the gradual legalization that is sweeping the United States. The series inherits the genius of the producers of the «True Detective» series.

Cannabis-related series are multiplying as fast as the number of legalizing states. Every streaming video distributor wants its own. Netflix will soon be releasing a series called «Disjointed» starring Kathy Bates. It will focus on a dispensary steward in California. The drama series «Humboldt» is due to be broadcast by HBO.

A series inspired by real events

Humboldt County is at the heart of the series' pitch. The author of the book immersed himself in the smoky atmosphere of this California county for a year. According to Vice,Almost one-fifth of the county's population, or 30,000 people, grow cannabis.

The county's green leanings stem from the hippie movement of the 60s and 70s. Wanting to follow the back-to-the-land policy, the region specialized in the cannabis trade as the authorities paid more attention to Mexican traffickers.

California is set to legalize cannabis in November, a legislative breakthrough that is scaring some players in the cannabis industry. Today, the economy is massively based on cash trade from illegal cannabis. Once legalized, cannabis sales will be taxed, after 20 years of flexible legislation on the subject.