News, updates, and (mostly viable) rumors relating to development of science fiction / fantasy television productions. If you have tips or more info on these or other productions, please pass them along in the comments.
The broadcast networks had a ton of announcements for new show pickups for the 2016-17 season heading into last week’s Upfronts (more on that at this link), but there is still plenty of Sci Fi TV development going on beyond that. Here is a rundown of the announcements I have seen from the last few weeks.
Buckaroo Banzai
Network: No Network Attached
Production Team: Kevin Smith (Executive Producer)
Status: Very Early Development
About: This would be a reboot of Buckaroo Banzai as a television series.
Comments: This is Kevin Smith’s vision of how he would proceed with the series: “Basically you just do the entire movie for season one, then season two you finally do the sequel we’ve all dreamed about, Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League.” MGM is currently shopping this around and it would be 2017 at the earliest before anything were to hit the small screen. Source: Uproxx.com
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Samurai Jack
Network: Adult Swim
Production Team: Genndy Tartakovsky (Creator / Executive Producer)
Status: In Production (Ordered to Series)
About: This will be a continuation of the original animated series with creator Genndy Tartakovsky running the show. Source: Variety
Comments: This revival had been previously announced and is now officially going forward on Adult Swim.
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Heroes and Villains: History of Comics
Network: AMC
Production Team: Robert Kirkman (Executive Producer)
Status: In Production
About: “The series, which hails from Skybound Entertainment, will consist of six hourlong episodes that explore the stories, people, and events that have transformed the world of comic books. From origin stories to the untold history behind iconic characters, ‘Heroes and Villains’ will explore a wide range of topics including pop culture, politics, race, gender and sexuality.” Source: Variety
Comments: This mini-series will likely hit the air at some point in 2017.
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Wheel of Time
Network: No Network Attached
Production Team: TBD
Status: Very Early Development
About: This series will adapt Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time fantasy book series. Source: CBR
Comments: There has been an ongoing attempt to adapt these books to television, but legal issues have held it up. A low budget pilot was produced a few years back by a studio attempting to secure the rights to the property, but this will not be a continuation of that.
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Dawn
Network: Hulu
Production Team: Hank Steinberg (Creator / Executive Producer), Ken Nolan (Creator / Executive Producer)
Status: Pilot Ordered
About: “The epic drama follows a tribe of Neanderthals as they struggle to survive and hold on to their way of life after coming into contact with a family of Homo sapiens, the studio said. At the intersection of evolution and genocide, ‘Dawn’ asks the fundamental question: ‘What does it mean to be human?’” Source: The Wrap
Comments: The streaming service will likely be considering adding this to their 2017 original programming.
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Untitled Seth MacFarlane Comedy
Network: FOX
Production Team: Seth MacFarlane (Creator / Producer)
Status: Early Production (Ordered to Series)
About: “‘A comedy drama’ set 300 years in the future. It will center on the crew of a space exploratory ship named Orville that ‘faces cosmic dramas’ as they go ‘where no comedy drama has gone before.'” Source: TV.com
Comments: FOX is looking at adding this to their 2017-18 schedule.
