Elgin James Takes S.A. Cosby's 'King of Ashes' to FX
Elgin James is developing a TV series based on S.A. Cosby's novel King of Ashes for FX, according to Deadline, which reported the news on 22 October 2026. "In development" means the show is being written and shaped before a network commits to making episodes.
The story centres on Roman Carruthers. He returns to his family's crematory business in Virginia after his father is left in a coma following a suspicious hit-and-run. That is the hook the adaptation builds on.
Several companies are attached. Amblin, the production company behind a long run of family and adventure films, is one of them. Higher Ground, the company run by Barack and Michelle Obama, is another. Deadline also reports that 20th Television is involved, and that James is under an overall deal there, meaning he has an exclusive arrangement to develop projects with that studio.
James will executive produce, which means he oversees the show's creative direction and business side. He does so alongside Higher Ground, and alongside Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin. Todd Cohen, also of Amblin, will co-executive produce.
The rights deal was brokered by Lucy Stille at Lucy Stille Literary, acting for Josh Getzler at HG Literary. Getting the book to screen has been in motion for some time. In 2024, Variety reported that Netflix and Higher Ground had won the rights, after Cosby weighed a dozen bids. The project is now being developed at FX.
James has a track record in television. He co-created Mayans M.C. with Kurt Sutter, the creator of Sons of Anarchy. For the third season of that series, James took over as sole showrunner, the person who runs the day-to-day work in the writers' room and on set. Variety reported that change in 2021.
He is also busy on another project. Deadline reports that James is currently shooting his upcoming Prison Break series for Hulu, the streaming service.
For readers following the book, the news is that the story now has a television home. For the people who will work on it, a show in development is the start of a long process. Writers, directors and crew only get work once a network orders episodes.
