It looks like CBS All Access is determined to make itself known as the best place for all the best sci-fi shows. The network has just ordered a new series based on Walter Tevis' classic novel The Man Who Fell To Earth that will be created by Ster Trek's Alex Kurtzman.
The report comes from Deadline confirming that EVP Original Content for CBS All Access Julie McNamara made the announcement at TCA. McNamara revealed that Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet wrote the pilot script together. In addition to that, they will serve as executive producers and co-showrunners with John Hlavin.
Kurtzman and Lumet released a statement about their plans for the new show.
"Walter Tevis' visionary novel gave us a Tech God Willy Wonka from another planet, brought to life by David Bowie's legendary performance, that foretold Steve Jobs' and Elon Musk's impact on our world," they said. "The series will imagine the next step in our evolution, seen through the eyes of an alien who must learn what it means to become human, even as he fights for the survival of his species."
Kurtzman also confirmed that the show will be completely different from the 1976 film directed by Nicolas Roeg that starred the late Bowie, stating that Roeg "was a legend."
"The last thing I would want to do is mimic his work in any way," Kurtzman said. "He saw this story through his own prism. He captured that incredible sense of loneliness of a small character in a larger landscape, the alienation the character felt. He captured that feeling, and I want to find a way to capture a feeling, not necessarily in the way he did."
The Man Who Fell to Earth has not yet been given an official release date. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Fantasy & Science Fiction