Iconic Western 'The Magnificent Seven' reboot in development, but has a major twist
Following the conclusion of 'Billy The Kid', MGM+ has greenlit a new western series. 'The Magnificent Seven' now gets the series treatment from 'Heroes' creator Tim Kring. The series is a reboot of the iconic 1960 film by John Sturges.
The eight-part drama will be penned by Kring, who is also known for his work on Fox's 'Touch'. He will executive produce the show with 'Billy The Kid' EP Donald De Line, Lawrence Mirisch, and Bruce Kaufman. The production will begin in June. 'The Magnificent Seven' will air on MGM+ in the United States, UK, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and the Netherlands.
According to Deadline, "The reboot is set in the tumultuous 1880s American frontier. After a peaceful Quaker village is massacred by mercenaries working for a greedy and ruthless land baron trying to force them off the land he covets, seven gifted but flawed mercenaries are hired by the community to protect them from the land baron’s hired guns."
"But as the team embeds itself in the community, preparing to defend them against overwhelming odds, they are all forced to grapple with an essential question: Is the use of violence acceptable to defend a people whose faith is based on non-violence? The series takes a deep dive into the stories behind each of the Seven; what’s at stake for them, and why they choose to take on this mission."
In his statement, Michael Wright, head of MGM+, called Kring a "master storyteller" while adding, "Tim, Donald De Line, Larry Mirisch, and Bruce Kaufman have crafted a series that delivers the energy of a classic western, honors the legacy of the original film, and reasserts its timeless themes of the power of unity against oppression and flawed heroes finding redemption by helping those who can’t help themselves."
Earlier, the hit film was also remade in 2016, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, and Peter Sarsgaard. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk.
