Apple TV+ has greenlit ‘Metropolis’, award winning creator, producer and director Sam Esmail’s latest offering which will be produced by UCP (Universal Content Productions). ‘Metropolis’ is a drama inspired by the Fritz Lang science fiction movie of the same name.
The series will be written and directed in its entirety by Esmail, who will also serve as showrunner. It will be executive produced by Esmail via his overall deal with UCP, and Chad Hamilton. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, serves as the studio.
The Fritz Lang silent movie, on which the show is based, was released in 1927 which in turn was based on a novel written by German writer Thea Von Harbou. Thea Von Harbou had collaborated with Lang on writing the movie. The silent film is regarded as one of the first feature length movies in the science fiction genre. At the time, the movie was one of the most expensive movies ever made and was considered a pioneer for its effects. The movie is set in a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners. a beautiful and cultured utopia exists above a bleak underworld populated by mistreated workers.
Sam Esmail is best known for creating the hit television series – Mr. Robot starring Rami Malek. His next show ‘Gaslit’, premiering this year, is a modern take on the 1970s political Watergate scandal starring Sean Penn and Julia Roberts among others.
Sam Esmail has apparently been involved with the project since 2016 when it was first reported that he is working on this sci-fi project. This isn’t the first time a timeless classic is being turned into a movie show. A recent example of this in the science-fiction genre is ‘Westworld’ – the HBO drama which was based on the 1973 film of the same name.
Given that the original move is a landmark release of its time, the upcoming show will have its hands full to ensure the recreation stands the test of time and lives up to the expectation. No official release date has been announced yet.
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