Own the rights?
No. Deadwood the dramatic series has been cancelled. A half season (like the last season of Sex and the City and the Sopranos final episodes) was tentatively offered but Milch rejected that idea, feeling it was not enough to properly complete the series. As of this posting (April 9, 2007), HBO and David Milch have agreed to make 2 2-hour movies (to be aired on HBO) that will complete the arc of the series and wrap up the characters' stories.
Although the agreement to make 2 2-hour HBO movies to finish Deadwood's arc has been reached, the deal was tentative and shaky, so at the moment no real answer can be given. One hard fact is that as of now (April 9, 2007) the movies have not yet begun filming. Milch has collaborated with another writer on the movies, and the last time he was heard from on the subject he said he would like to begin the filming of the first movie in summer 2007 once his new project, John From Cincinnati, was wrapped up. However, the only facts are the movies *might* be made and have not been yet. We are all waiting and, if prior experience with HBO is any indication, we won't know for sure until the moment it is definitely being made (or isn't).
The structuring of a Television episode is much different than a movie. The pacing is much different as well. The only way to hold more information in 6 hour long episodes than 4 hours worth of a movie would be for every episode to end abruptly and begin right where the last one left off. Which just doesn't work well for TV. Every episode has to have an arc. A beginning, a climax and an end. While it's not uncommon to have a cliffhanger ending it is still done to a certain structure.
Technically it doesn't. Season 3 ended with every intention of coming back for a fourth season. But the show was canceled suddenly, so pretty much every character's fate is left open.
r73731