Remake OTD: The Andromeda Strain
VARIETY: Crichton's 'Strain' comes to A&E (excerpt)Scott brothers to exec produce miniseries
By STEVEN ZEITCHIK
Posted: Tue., May 1, 2007, 6:00am PT
Tony and Ridley Scott are bringing Michael Crichton's 1969 bestseller "The Andromeda Strain" to A&E, as the net increases its push into original programming.
Brothers will exec produce the miniseries for the net based on Crichton's story of extraterrestrial germs run amok. Director-cinematographer Mikael Solomon will direct from a script by Robert Schenkkan ("The Quiet American").
Project is set to go into production this summer. David Zucker and Tom Thayer are also exec producing.
While "Andromeda" was initially billed as a four-hour event, execs later acknowledged it could run up to six hours.
Ridley Scott will be taking the lead on the project based on Crichton's first tome. Comments Scott made for a video interview were shown to ad buyers at the network's upfront Tuesday in Gotham.
News continues a parade of top-name directors and talent to cable. The Scott brothers are prolific action directors and collaborate occasionally on TV fare, teaming for current CBS hit "Numbers" as well as for 1999 HBO movie "RKO 281."
Labels: cable, michael chrichton, miniseries, ridley scott, television, the andromeda strain, tony scott
posted by Jeff Pidgeon at
12:48 AM
2 Comments:
This fits the Remake Rules: It's a remake of a bad movie made from a good idea. I was a big fan of the book, and was very disappointed by the movie.
I hope it turns out well. Even though I don't have cable.
I liked it when I saw it in high school - I don't think it's bad, exactly, but it has aged badly. I'm probably cutting too much slack due to the good idea.
Personally, I wish David Cronenberg would direct the mini-series. He's got a medical background (if I remember correctly), and he'd keep it smart and suspenseful.
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