Now I know that some of you have to remember the 80’s sci-fi mini-series and TV show, V, because it was a huge hit when it first came out way back in 1983. I personally was a huge fan as it was pretty exciting for my 9 year old mind to contemplate the world being invaded by aliens.
If you’ll recall, in the story the aliens came to earth in peace and were welcomed with open arms (they looked like us and were offering to give us technology, etc.). Well, come to find out, they were really a lizard type alien creature who was really here to rape the earth of its natural resources and kill (and eat, I think) us humans. A group of humans rose up to fight and that was what the mini-series, and, later, the series was all about. Good stuff.
Well, anyway, the show’s creator, Kenneth Johnson (who was also the writer, director, and creator of Alien Nation) spoke recently with the folks over at The Deadbolt. Apparently he’s been shopping around a series for television that would be called V: The Second Generation. However, recent developments have led to the possibility of V actually being remade as a feature length movie instead. This is what he had to say:
“… since I own the motion picture rights to V, we’re in the process to do a remake of the original mini-series first as a theatrical feature, which I’m so jazzed about because it will give me an opportunity to really realize it and execute it in a way that was impossible to do back then. Then that will lead to the obvious sequel, because it is a franchise, and then we’ll get into The Second Generation and I’m hoping we’ll be able to do two movies, because there’s certainly enough material in the novel to warrant two separate sequels. That’s my goal at this point and that’s what we’re in the process of doing. I just literally came from a meeting, 15-20 minutes ago with a fellow in Beverly Hills who really says that we’re gonna do it.”
Of course, nothing is ever final until it’s actually done, but this is one “revamp” that I’d actually like to see done. The show was good back in the day, but it’s been 25 years since it first aired and the technology in filmmaking and special effects has advanced so much in that time that the movie could really be so much more than the mini-series or TV show was.
The story has apparently lived on over the years in book form although I must admit I’m pretty ignorant of the storylines involved. Still it seems like a perfect type of property to get the update treatment as it has the potential to develop into a pretty nice franchise once again.
I loved this as a kid when it was originally on. I’d be curious to see what they could do with a movie version. I’d like to think it would be good. Time will tell.
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But…without the Beastmaster? Or Michael Ironside’s gravelly voice?
Yah, I too would be thrilled to see this come back to TV or the big screen.
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I general, I’m against remakes. But in this case(Sci-Fi), I don’t mind at all because the technology is now better than the cheesy special effects of the show. And with BG being a successful remake, V can also be good if they make it darker like BG.
I remember when Diana(alien scientist) would swallow a live rat. That got a lot of publicity for the mini-series back then. And yes, human were on the menu too.
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Steve, good point about Battlestar Galactica…if they could remake it in that kind of way, this seems like an intriguing project.
I watched a few episodes of V back in the day, but never really got into it. So I’d definitely check this out.
I would be up to checking it out as I loved this show when I was a kid.
The FX were pretty good for the time. I still remember the swish of the lasers.
Dunno about a remake (kinda tired of all the remakes) but maybe an extension. I seem to recall a subplot involving sending a call for help to the lizard people’s enemies. That would at least provide a way to move forward instead of just re-imagine something somebody already did.
Loved it as a kid and hope this comes to pass. If I remember correctly, wasn’t a pre-Nightmare on Elm Street Robert Englund in V as well?
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Well Battlestar wasnt a remake, it was a reimagining…which seems to be the trend AKA The New Star Trek movie as well. Which means they take the premise and do whatever they want with it disregarding any history of a series or movie that you already know.
I loved this series when it came out, a movie version could be awesome for sure, I would go see it!!
This might be a reimagining too
Robert Englund played the kinda dumb but gentle alien who became a traitor because he thought the humans were cute and cuddly (Love Humans, Don’t Eat Them) and because they didn’t make fun of him quite as much as his fellow aliens, who of course knew him much better.
Wonder if they would give some kind of cameos to some of the originals…could be intersting.. just as Apollo on Battlestar is Zerrick (sp?)
Do we really need a cameo of Robert Englund?
Sure, why not, he could play a character called Freddy… you never know, it could happen..
I never saw the original mini-series, actually, I’ve never heard of it. If Jason was nine at the time it came out I was three. BUT it sounds really cool and it’ll have an entire new audience of young people…not to say that you all are not young.
I think Ana is patronizing us.
Never heard of it??? Wow…now I feel old.
I remember that show. It came on Friday nights and I so looked forward to Friday’s when it would come on!!!
This should be interesting. One thing that I do know is that stuff I loved as a kid, when I re-watch them now, I just don’t get what attracted me to it. The nostalgia just never lives up to reality.
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Do I remember seeing it? Is the Pope Catholic?
I watched it and read all of the books based on the series. I still have them.
I think my parents watched it, but I have a feeling they wouldn’t let me or my brother join them
Anyone remember The Martian Chronicles? I have no idea what it was or what it was about. I just have a memory of a scene in it that freaked me out as a kid and still sort of does.
I enjoyed the original mini-series right up until the Deus Ex Machina ending. The follow-up series, well, stank and stank bad.
My guess on a remake would be that they would push the political undertones of the original to the forefront in this one. While the underlying ‘good guys’ in the original series were communist insurgents in Centeral America the ones in this revision would be radical Islamist terrorists.
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