“Sin City” has always been a bit of a strange case. The first film, released in 2005, was a big hit. Audiences loved the stylized aesthetic that brought the frames of Frank Miller‘s comic to vivid life, with the help of Robert Rodriguez‘s clever use of green screen, which gave everything an extremely heightened, noir look. However, interest in that style quickly dropped off. When Miller ventured on his own and directed “The Spirit” in 2008, the result missed with critics and audiences, and when “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For” dropped in 2014, it played like almost a creaky relic from another time. (Though, it didn’t help that the movie was godawful). Still, guns, dames, and bad guys trying to do good things is a potent mix, so of course, the property is being revived.
Deadline reveals that “Sin City” is now in the works, with veteran showrunner Glen Mazzara (“The Shield,” “The Walking Dead” and “The Omen“) to guide the series. Far less exciting is the news that Len Wiseman (“Underworld,” “Live Free Or Die Hard,” that terrible “Total Recall” reboot) will be directing the pilot, and producing. But perhaps weirdest of all, the new show will be a “far departure” from the source material, with new characters being drawn up for the world of Sin City.
It kind of makes you wonder why they just don’t bother creating an all new crime show, but clearly, they’re hoping the “Sin City” brand will do some of the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing. And it’s probably not a big shock that the name has helped attract networks, who are already kicking the tires on the series. We’ll see if the third time is the charm for this one.