Variety (the Hollywood news bible) is reporting online that America's ABC is developing a new take on the 'V' concept but without creator Kenneth Johnson at the helm.
Details are sparse but it seems that ABC have commissioned Scott (The 4400) Peters to oversee the potential revival after selling the network a spec. script.
The article states that Warner Brothers (who own the property and produced the original mini-series, the sequel and the weekly series) approached Peters to head the project. Peters had previously written a 'V' script which failed to sell. He'll Executive Produce alongside Jace Hall, a previous head of Warner's video game division, who will oversee extending the revival beyond television.
Details are obviously still sketchy but it seems this will be a reworking (ala Battlestar Galactica) rather than a direct sequel (as Johnson had hoped to launch) or a remake of the original mini-series.
The new incarnation will revolve around Erica Evans, a Homeland Security agent, who's wayward son accepts the Visitors a little too willingly when their fleet first arrives. As before, the Visitors will arrive in giant spacecraft positioned over the Earth's key population centres. As before, their mission will have a secret objective (we don't know if they are after the food and water again).
Kenneth Johnson previously teamed with warner Brothers in a bid to sell a revival to NBC, the franchise's original home. The network appeared to run hot and cold over the project for several years. Johnson suggested either a sequel taking place some twenty years after the original invasion (and disregarding the events of The Final Battle and The Series, neither of which Johnson had direct involvement with) or a remake of his initial mini-series.
When Johnson failed to sell his sequel proposal, he turned it into the well-received original novel 'V': The Second Generation. A revised version of the bestselling novel adaptation of the original mini-series (written by A.C Crispin) is due to return to print this autumn.
It is unclear from the initial report whether ABC have committed to putting this version into production or have just opted to develop the concept further ahead of a potential green light at a later date.
The original article can be found here - www.variety.com/VR1117993725.html
WE NEED YOUR HELP - We intend to keep track of all the twist-and-turns connected with this (potential) revival as well as Kenneth Johnson's new work with his original creation. If you see ANYTHING about either, please email us all the details and we'll share with everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment