THE MOSQUITO COAST

JUSTIN KEEPS IT ALLIE IN THE FAMILY IN THE MOSQUITO COAST…

Behind the streams (no Fords or Rivers) of the new Apple TV+ adaptation.

Debuting on AppleTV+ as a seven-part drama, the new adap of Paul Theroux’s lauded novel The Mosquito Coast (1981) is a family affair both on and off camera. Framed as a prequel to the book, it’s executive produced by the author’s nephew, Justin Theroux, who also plays idealistic inventor Allie Fox. With director Rupert Wyatt (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Escapist), at the helm for the first two episodes, the series sees Allie become so disillusioned with modern society that he makes plans to transplant his wife Margot (Melissa George) and two kids, Dina (Logan Polish) and Charlie (Gabriel Bateman), to rural Latin America...

Justin, what was your prior experience with the book – and with the 1986 Harrison Ford movie adaptation of it? JUSTIN THEROUX (ALLIE FOX):

I have a long history with the novel, I first read it when I was a kid. And I’ve seen the movie many times. Harrison did such a fabulous job, but I wouldn’t ever try and copy from him. Although I can’t help but think that there’s probably some similar things [in our version] that maybe we found on our own.

I had the good fortune of meeting him, actually, purely by coincidence,

while we were shooting in Mexico City. We had a fabulous tequila-fuelled dinner, eating and just talking, but we didn’t really talk so much about the character of Allie Fox at all. We just talked about his experience of making the film, which he says was one of the most joyous experiences he’s ever had in terms of location and things like that.

So I am familiar with many iterations of The Mosquito Coast. And this new series was just one of those happy accidents, where the stars aligned and we were able to do it.

Was the book always something you intended to adapt?

NEIL CROSS (SERIES CREATOR):

I’ve got a very long-standing, lifelong relationship with Paul Theroux… whom I’ve never met! I’ve known him through his books. Being offered the opportunity to adapt The Mosquito Coast was really the culmination of something I didn’t know I wanted to do, which was to engage with the story told by a writer that I’ve loved and who has informed my life for as long as

I can remember.

And part of the intention of the show is not just to honour what Paul did with Allie Fox and the creation of this outstanding character, but to engage in some way with Paul’s entire worldview, both with the novels he’s written, as well as his travel literature, all of which I’m very, very familiar with.

Justin, did you talk to your uncle about the character?