In March of 2014, a miniseries event with the working title of Texas Rising was ordered. At the time, the program was scheduled to be an eight hour event. The cast was announced, the director was announced and a journey to record both the Texas Revolution and the rise of the famous Texas Rangers really kicked off. In January of 2015, a premiere date was given and more details about what the miniseries was about was released. In a press release from the History channel on April 14, it was announced that the miniseries event for Texas Rising had been expanded.
Now, Texas Rising will be a 10 hour series event shown over the course of five nights, starting on Memorial Day 2015. Instead of a week-long event, however, there are specific dates to catch each episode of the program. All of the premieres will take place at 9PM ET/PT. The very first episode will be May 25, with the second premiering the very next night on May 26. After those first two, however, the final three Texas Rising episodes will air weekly on Monday, until June 15.
The star packed series has already released information regarding the casting, but in the latest release from the network, information regarding the soundtrack was also given. With the series getting expanded for the History channel, Texas Rising also has its own soundtrack with a number of legendary musicians, that also needs highlighting.
The Texas Rising soundtrack includes new music from Jose Feliciano, plus a remake of the Tom Petty song, Won’t Back Down by Kris Kristofferson. George Strait is also lending his voice in the title song, Take Me to Texas, which was written by Brandy Clark.
Roland Joffé is the director of the miniseries event, Texas Rising. Joffé has been nominated twice for Oscars for his work on The Mission and The Killing Fields. He leads an ensemble cast that includes:
- Ray Liotta as Lorca. Lorca is a survivor of the battle of the Alamo and he is seeking revenge.
- Kris Kristofferson as President Andrew Jackson. Kristofferson is also lending his voice to the Texas Rising soundtrack.
- Bill Paxton as Sam Houston. Houston is known for being the father of Texas.
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as “Deaf” Smith. Smith is a veteran Texas Ranger, who is described as grizzled and deaf, battling an advanced case of consumption.
- Brendan Fraser as Billy Anderson. Anderson is also a Texas Ranger, but he has ties with the Comanche.
- Chad Michael Murray as Mirabeau Lamar. Lamar is a Texas soldier who helps earn a victory at the battle of San Jacinto.
- Thomas Jane as James Wykoff. Wykoff is a homesteader who winds up in the heart of hostile territory.
- Olivier Martinez as President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Santa Anna is the tyrannical dictator of Mexico.
Other notable cast members for Texas Rising include, Christopher McDonald, Crispin Glover, Max Theriot, Rob Morrow, Jeremy Davies and many more. A large cast, 10 hours, five nights, all telling the tale of the fight for Texas independence. As the series promises, the Alamo was just the beginning. Texas Rising is the story of not only the Texas Revolution, but also the rise of the Texas Rangers.
The History channel’s latest series endeavor may be an expanded event, but Texas Rising looks to be as powerful as other notable miniseries from the network. A network which has brought to life the Vikings and Hatfields & McCoys, all for the entertainment and education of the viewing audience.
By Kimberley Spinney
Sources:
Texas Rising Press Releases from the History Channel
History Channel: Texas Rising
Featured Photo by Prashant Gupta – Courtesy of the History Channel
Individual Cast Photos by Kevin Lynch – Courtesy of the History Channel
