Showtime Lands Bill Clinton-James Patterson Political Thriller

Showtime has given a straight-to-series order to The President Is Missing, an adaptation of a novel by President Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson.

The novel is set to be published in 2018, and will tell the story of a sitting president's disappearance, told with a level of detail only a president would know. Though it's a fictional story, the 42nd President brings the depth of his expertise necessary to make it feel real. Combined with Patterson's thriller-writing prowess, it's sure to be a riveting read.

Showtime President and CEO David Nevins announced the deal Friday. Nothing about the show has been set beyond the fact a deal has been struck, so there's no premiere date or production team in place yet.

"I'm really enjoying writing this book and working with Jim," President Bill Clinton said in a statement. "And I can't wait to see Showtime bring the characters to life."

"Bringing The President Is Missing to Showtime is a coup of the highest order," Nevins said. "The pairing of President Clinton with fiction's most gripping storyteller promises a kinetic experience, one that the book world has salivated over for months and that now will dovetail perfectly into a politically relevant, character-based action series for our network."

"The White House is such an exciting world to explore and is made even more so with the unique insights of a former President," said Patterson. "Rich storytelling opportunities for this series abound."

The President Is Missing will be published in 2018.

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