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EXCLUSIVE | 'Alex Rider' writer Anthony Horowitz says why TV show adaptation will succeed while the film bombed

The adult edge of violence and danger will set this TV show apart from the earlier 2006 film adaptation

If you are a fan of the 'Alex Rider' books, you probably remember that 2006 movie 'Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker'. With a star-studded cast that had Alex Pettyfer as lead and supporting cast members like Alicia Silverstone, Ewan McGregor and Stephen Fry, it was supposed to launch a successful young adult franchise. But those plans went up in smoke when the film bombed. It has taken nearly 15 years to revive Alex Rider as an older teen who gets caught up in more adult situations.

After doing well in the UK, the TV show based on the adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's best-selling teen spy series is going to air on IMDb TV. Not only will it be free-to-stream for US audience, but it will also avoid repeating mistakes made in the film adaptation. In an exclusive interview to MEAWW, author Anthony Horowitz, who helped adapt 'Point Blanc', the second book in the series for the TV show, tells us how.

"I was very happy with 'Stormbreaker' when it came out. But I had one issue with it. I've always been quite open about this — it wasn't adult enough. I mean, the Alex [Rider] in that one was a 14-15 year-old-boy and the levels of violence, threat and of danger, to me, for my money, could have been turned up a notch," he says.

"That was the one thing that I regretted about that film and this time round that's exactly what we've incorporated. There is an obviously older Alex but we don't really refer to his age in the show. He's still at school, but, clearly, Otto Farrant [who plays Alex] is not 14. Plus, [there are] the elements of danger and violence. It is for new, young readers, but also for people who grew up with these books and who are now in their late twenties and even in their thirties. This time we've got the tone exactly right. Alex Rider has come of age." he reveals. His confidence stems from the vision of the show's Austrian director Andreas Prochaska. "I met him and I liked him immediately. His vision for the books was exactly right. Sort of modern, hard-edged, dark, gritty."

This sets the show apart from other campy attempts to market the spy genre for kids like the 'Spy Kids' or even the 'Kingsman' franchise. "The show has got its elements of humor, but it's never camp. Otto [Farrant as Alex Rider] is always thinking, feeling, and emoting. A lot of bad things happen to him on this show. He is hurt. He is in some scenes tortured with noise, water, and sleep deprivation and always, always you are aware of what's happening in his head. He is a real character."

According to Horrowitz, the heart of the show lies in the interactions of the core cast which was "something very special". He adds, "We were extremely lucky to get such extraordinary talent." However, before the project came together, Horowitz was understandably reluctant to do another adaptation after the Alex Rider film flopped. "I was quite nervous of doing it on the screen. I was afraid that a bad adaptation would do me damage." But when the indie production company behind his long-running period detective TV series 'Foyle's War' approached him and Sony Pictures plonked down the money for it, it was hard for him to say no. "Sony is not a platform. They do not have a television station on which they can show programs. They made it for the market where they put in the entire budget — 100% of the money into making eight very expensive, action-filled episodes. This was such an extraordinary leap of faith because they just believed they could sell it. I was knocked out by their belief." 

'Alex Rider' premieres on IMDb TV on November 13.