Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail is in early development talks to create a television miniseries based on Fritz Lang's 1927 sci-fi classic Metropolis, according to a recent report. The Hollywood Reporter learned exclusively that Esmail will develop the series for Universal Cable Partners, with a planned release date still two to three years away.
Metropolis was a 1927 German silent film directed by legendary filmmaker Fritz Lang. The dystopian film told the story of two lovers from different backgrounds in a future society in the year 2026, ruled by wealthy industrialists who loomed above an underground-dwelling lower class from high-rise city towers. The film is still considered one of the most expensive ever made, and employed ground-breaking special effects for the time period.
Sam Esmail, an award-winning writer and director, has a seven-figure production agreement with Universal Cable Partners. The production company also produces his hit series Mr. Robot. Esmail and his manager Chad Hamilton (Mr. Robot) will act as executive producers on the new series.
It is unclear at this writing exactly what Sam Esmail's role will be beyond that of an executive producer, since he is heavily involved as a writer, director, showrunner, etc. with Mr. Robot. Esmail only plans to air four to five seasons of his current series, so Metropolis could conceivably be his next major project.
Mr. Robot was a Golden Globe winner for best drama series in 2016, and lead actor Rami Malek also earned an Emmy award for his role as hacktivist Elliot Alderson. The third season of Mr. Robot is currently in production, and is slated to return to the USA Network sometime in 2017.
Hollywood Reporter also learned that Universal Cable Partners is preparing to spend at least $10 million per episode on the Metropolis series, and that it will be shopped to a wide variety of television networks and streaming services, not just those owned by parent-company NBC Universal.
Remakes, re-imaginings, revisions, and adaptations are all the rage right now in Hollywood - and we will keep you informed. Continue checking Entertainment Fuse for updated information on this and other new series as it becomes available.
