‘Tis the season for remakes!
Deadline.com announced today that the History channel has plans to remake the 1977 classic miniseries Roots.
The network acquired rights to both the original movie and original book, Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Although the project is still in the development phase, the network will soon meet with writers to discuss the narrative. Word has it, the new version will have a contemporary feel and will draw on both the original film and book.
“We would like to revive that cultural icon for a new audience,” said History executive vice president and general manager Dirk Hoogstra.
The miniseries took over the nation in 1977 earning 100 million viewers over its eight-day run on ABC. The series, which starred virtually everyone in Black hollywood from LeVar Burton and Louis Gossett Jr. to Maya Angelou and Cicely Tyson, earned an impressive 36 Emmy nominations. It went on to win nine.
Roots is the latest title to get the reboot treatment. Last week it was announced that Octavia Spencer will star in a remake of Murder, She Wrote. NBC’s remake of The Sound of Music featuring Audra McDonald will air on December 5th.