Married novelists Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman confirmed this week that they were in the process of developing a TV series about the tragic 2016 Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, which resulted in the deaths of 36 people. After an outcry on social media, Waldman had conversations with families and friends of victims. She announced on Twitter yesterday that the Ghost Ship show is no longer in development.
“Over the past few days, however, we’ve heard from parents of the victims, from friends and survivors, and from conscientious members of the community, appealing to us to reconsider telling the story of the Ghost Ship,” she wrote. “These appeals have been heartbreaking to hear, and they have changed our minds. … At this time, therefore, we will not be proceeding, and will do our part to leave the families and survivors to their grief and their loss, in the fervent hope that someday they find not just comfort but also a measure of justice.”
The Ghost Ship fire resulted in multiple trials and lawsuits. Max Harris (the “creative director of the warehouse”) was acquitted on all charges, while Derick Almena (the master tenant of the warehouse) is set to be retried.
Read “After Ghost Ship Fire, Oakland DIY Grapples With a Broken System” on the Pitch.