Credit: Wicker Man
Wicker Man returns! And don’t worry, Nicholas Cage, Neil LaBute, and Anthony Shaffer are far away from the reboot. I think.
Of course, horror fans can’t forget one of the worst horror films in the past two decades was the 2006 Wicker Man, that’s remembered for the terrible scenes and overacting by the Oscar winner. The 2006 version is actually a reboot of the well-respected 1973 film of the same name, which starred Edward Woodward as Sgt. Neil Howie. The feature is about an officer who travels to Summerisle island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Soon, the officer discovers a community that has abandoned Christianity in favor of paganism. Christopher Lee played Lord Summerisle.
Now, the horror classic is being brought to the small screen as Deadline reports that Wicker Man is being adapted to television by Urban Myth Films and The Imaginarium – Andy Serkis and Johnathan Cavdendish’s production company.
Apparently, a TV show has been in the works for quite some time. The script has already been written by Howard Overman – who previously penned War of the Worlds (TV series) and Merlin. Though it’s being produced under Serkis’s company, there’s no word on whether the filmmaker will play a role in the production side of things for the upcoming series.
Credit: Wicker Man
The details surrounding the series remain scarce, with the product currently in the pitching stages to potential networks and broadcasters. However, Overman did explain vaguely to Deadline how the show will differ from the films, notably highlighting the themes of sacrifice, superstition, and rituals.
Co-founder Jonathan Cavdenish praised Overman’s new take on the classic feature, “created a bold, shocking, and unique series, pulling the themes and terrifying power of the original Wicker Man into a thrilling modern setting.” Movie to television adaptations are nothing new and there’s been quite a few that have seen success. One of the biggest is the Coen Brothers Fargo series.
While the seasons following the first venture outside of the movie, the first season managed to adapt the 1996 feature into a compelling and exciting anthology that won Three Primetime Emmys in 2014: Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special.
Other standouts are Bates Motel, The Exorcist, Sleepy Hollow (Well, the first two seasons, at least), Cobra Kai, Chucky, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The Wicker Man television series does have the potential to become something huge and compelling, or like the recent Resident Evil series, it could end up falling flat on its face.
Credit: Wicker Man
Serkis is no stranger to being part of adaptations as the filmmaker was notably Caesar of the highly praised Planet of the Apes reboot. He and Cavendish are currently in post-production on Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy-drama Next Goal Wins, starring Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, and Will Arnett.
The company also has a Young Adult series on the horizon, as The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself will drop on Netflix later this month. The new series is about an illegitimate son of a powerful witch who struggles to find his own place within the family. Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Karen Connell, and Emilien Vekemans star in the series.
Studiocanal-backed Urban Myth’s third season of Overman’s War of the Worlds, with the series recently dropping on Canal+ in France and Disney+ in the Uk, and the outfit is currently in production on the second season of Sky’s Lazarus Project. When more news hits about the upcoming Wicker Man project, we’ll surely give you an update on the television series. In the meantime, check out the original 1973 feature if you haven’t already.
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