In 2015, two convicted murderers in upstate New York’s Clinton Correctional Facility named Richard Matt and David Sweat pulled off a dramatic prison break by digging a tunnel and cutting a hole in a wall with tools that were secretly given to them by a prison employee named Tilly Mitchell—who had been having an affair with both of the men. The two were on the run for three weeks before Matt was killed by police and Sweat was returned to custody, and reports were quick to compare their escape to Stephen King’s The Shawshank Redemption at the time.
Naturally, since The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most famous prison break stories of all time, the similar saga of the Clinton Correctional escape is getting an adaptation of its own. According to Variety, Showtime is developing a limited series called Escape At Clinton Correctional, with Ben Stiller set to executive produce and direct all eight episodes. Benicio Del Toro and Patricia Arquette are attached to star, with Del Toro set to play Richard Matt and Arquette playing Tilly Mitchell. Showtime hasn’t found anybody for Sweat, but casting is “underway.”
