In 2019, we’ve seen plenty of remakes, reboots, and revivals. But what CBS All Access and Alex Kurtzman plan to do with the film “The Man Who Fell To Earth” is something a bit different. Sure, the studio and producer are taking the cult classic David Bowie film from 1976 and adapting it as a new TV series, but there’s a twist, as the entire premise is a getting a bit of retooling.
According to Deadline, CBS All Access is developing a new series based on the film “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” with Alex Kurtzman attached to produce and co-write the pilot. While the 1976 film focused on an alien who crashes on Earth in search of a method of bringing water to his home planet, the new series features a new alien at its core, inspired by real humans like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, and tells the story of the advanced alien on Earth, who must learn what it’s like to be human, all while trying to find a way for his species to survive.
“Getting to use this [sci-fi] story template to do a deep dive on what it means to be a human being from the point of view of an alien who has no idea what love, human empathy and connection are,” said Kurtzman.
“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,” Kurtzman and his co-writer/producer Jenny Lumet 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 and Lumet have previously teamed up for the flagship CBS All Access series, “Star Trek: Discovery.” They’re joined by John Hlavin, creator of the TV series “Shooter,” as co-showrunners for “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”
The show is currently in development, with no release date announced.