'The Man Who Fell To Earth': Release date, plot, cast and everything you need to know about TV adaptation of sci-fi cult classic
Already busy with 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' and 'Star Trek: Discovery', writer and producer Alex Kurtzman is all set to develop a TV adaptation of Walter Tevis' sci-fi novel 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' for CBS All Access. The book was earlier adapted into a 1976 sci-fi classic film starring David Bowie directed by director Nicolas Roeg.
Reportedly, the series will be a continuation of the plot and not necessarily a reboot. According to Kurtzman and writer Jenny Lumet, the series will explore “the next chapter” of the story from the book and the movie.
Announcing the sci-fi classic adaptation, CBS TV Studios tweeted, "@CBSAllAccess would like to welcome #TheManWhoFellToEarth to its slate of original series! This story will follow an alien who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future."
Release date
There is no official confirmation on the release date of the CBS All Access show. Watch this space for more latest updates.
Plot
According to a CBS press statement, the plot of the show will "follow an alien who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future."
"Walter Tevis' visionary novel gave us a Tech God Willy Wonka from another planet, brought to life by David Bowie's legendary performance, that foretold Steve Jobs' and Elon Musk's impact on our world," both Kurtzman and Lumet said in a joint statement, adding, "The series will imagine the next step in our evolution, seen through the eyes of an alien who must learn what it means to become human, even as he fights for the survival of his species."
Cast
In the film adaptation, Bowie played the role of tragic hero Thomas Jerome Newton. His role was based on a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to retrieve water for his drought-stricken home planet. As of now, there is not much information about the actors starring in the series yet.
“Some strings will connect to both the novel and the film, but if you haven’t seen the film or haven’t read the novel, it’s fine,” Kurtzman told Variety. “You’ll get to have an experience that’s entirely singular. If you have, you’ll have the benefit of understanding the history of the world that both of those things set up.”
Director/Writer
According to Deadline, Alex Kurtzman is the creator of the new series. He is best known for executive producing the 'Star Trek; franchise since 2009 and co-writing the scripts of 'Transformers'. He will be working with fellow 'Star Trek: Discovery' writer Jenny Lumet to pen down episodes for the series.
Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Heather Kadin will serve as executive producers with Aaron Baiers serving as co-executive producer. The series will be co-produced by CBS Television Studios and Tandem Productions, a StudioCanal Company, in association with Secret Hideout and Timberman/Beverly.
Where to watch
The show is being helmed for CBS All Access. However, there is no official release date announced yet.
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