Has Hollywood’s obsession with reboots/remakes gone too far? Sam Esmail, creator of the mind-breaking television series “Mr. Robot” and temporally trippy film “Comet,” is set to adapt the 1927 Fritz Lang film “Metropolis” as a television miniseries.
This news is a pretty big deal for cinephiliacs. “Metropolis” planted the seeds for the science fiction genre to flourish, with every sci-fi film classic from “Blade Runner“ to “Star Wars“ owing an enormous debt to Lang’s vindicated masterpiece. The extent of Esmail’s involvement isn’t clear as of yet; he could potentially serve as writer and/or director or develop the television miniseries before passing it along to someone else. However, there is plenty of breathing room for the situation to shake out, as Universal has indicated they won’t begin production on the miniseries for two or three years.
While it is unsettling to watch more and more of the industry’s landmark films being remade and adapted, at least in this particular case it appears to be a good partnership (on paper anyway) of producer and property. Some may wail HERESY, but at least Esmail’s resume demonstrates he has a handle on hopeless dystopias and insidious, subtle destruction. Perhaps a contemporary spin could work out after all. [THR]