Bryan Cranston to reprise role as LBJ in ‘All the Way’ for HBO

It’s back to the small screen for Bryan Cranston.

The Tony-winning actor will reprise his role as President Lyndon Baines Johnson in an adaptation of the Broadway play “All the Way” for HBO, the network announced Wednesday.

Playwright Robert Schenkkan will adapt his piece for the small screen, with Amblin Television producing. Schenkkan has previous experience working on historical projects for HBO, having written multiple episodes of “The Pacific.”

Cranston and Schenkkan are also attached as executive producers along with Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey. James Degus will co-executive produce.

“All the Way” dramatizes the tumultuous 12-month period that began in November 1963 with John F. Kennedy’s assassination and ended with Johnson’s electoral victory over Sen. Barry Goldwater, and touches on the many pivotal events along the way, including the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the infamous murders of activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner in Mississippi and the contentious 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, N.J.

The play, directed by Bill Rauch, opened in March at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York and earned mostly positive reviews, with Cranston’s performance in particular singled out for raves. In addition to the Tony, the three-time Emmy winner for “Breaking Bad” was also honored with Drama Desk, Theatre World and Outer Critics Circle awards for his performance. “All the Way” was named best play at this year’s Tony Awards.

Later this month, a sequel also written by Schenkkan will premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Called “The Great Society,” it spans from early 1965 to March 1968, when Johnson announced he would not seek reelection.

“All the Way” closed June 29 after a limited engagement at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York.

Twitter: @MeredithBlake