At this rate, there will come a time when a majority of television series will be reboots, sequels, or spin-offs of hit movies. Listing all the series that are in production or have been announced that are based on films would take the entire article. That being said, Variety has one more to add to the list, reporting that ABC is working on a TV series based on the Will Smith 1998 film “Enemy of the State.”
The series is not a remake of the film, instead it’s a true blue sequel. Set twenty years after the film, the series follows a female attorney and an FBI agent as they unravel a mystery surrounding an NSA spy who leaked classified information. Even though the film featured similar elements back in the late ’90s, the story feels more relevant now with WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden consistently making headlines.
Unfortunately, leading man Will Smith will not be involved in the series in any capacity. Instead, Jerry Bruckheimer, along with Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reed, and Morgan Foehl are involved as producers. The original “Enemy of the State” arrived in theaters at the height of Will Smith’s fame and resulted in a box office total of $250 million.
If this series gets picked up, it would mark a change for ABC. The network has made a name for itself recently with dramas from Shonda Rhimes and comedies like “Modern Family,” and this looks like a play for a different kind of audience.
