Prisoner Will Retain Familiar Elements
Written by Ian Cullen on July 11, 2008 – 11:00 am -
By Ian M. Cullen
‘I am not a number. I’m a free man’. Those were words of rebellion spoken by Number Six during his mysterious incarceration in the mysterious village. Whether this premise and those words will ring as true today as they did back then remains to be seen – but according to AMC General Manager Charlie Collier the remake, which is being produced, jointly by AMC and ITV will retain some familiar things from the classic 1960′s show which starred Patrick McGoohan.
“I don’t really think of it being sci-fi, but it has the elements of the Village and the gadgetry,” Collier said in an interview at the Television Critics Association press tour on July 9 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Collier wouldn’t reveal much more about how the show is being updated, but he offered one big spoiler: The giant white ball, Rover, will be part of the new show.
Rover was a big part of the TV series; it will be part of it. We can’t talk about it extensively now–it will get me in trouble,” Collier told SciFi Wire.
The new series revolves this time around an American Agent played by James Caviezel and the mysterious controller of the mysterious village (Number Two) will be played by Ian McKellen. The original version of Prisoner was only ever supposed to run for 6 episodes – it was written and produced by McGoohan who also took on the lead role. A few years prior to his role in Prisoner McGoohan had carved a niche out for himself in British Popular Culture by playing a similar role in the ITC series Danger Man.
The new version of Prisoner much like the original combines espionage thrills with a few science fiction twists – the emphasis of the new show is said to be on today’s obsession with surveillance.
“We got Jesus and Gandalf!” Collier said. “What better cast could we get for those two characters than Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel? It will be a limited series, that’s how we could get those guys. But it is extensive; it is six hours.”
Collier promised that the two actors would talk about the miniseries during a future TV press tour. The Prisoner isn’t on AMC’s schedule until 2009.
Related posts:
- Prisoner Remake: Number Six cast?
- Sir Ian McKellen Confirmed As Number Two
- McKellen A Shoe In For Hobbit Movie
- Abrams Offers Two ‘Star Trek’ Premiere Tickets For Charity Auction
Tags: AMC, Ian McKellen, ITV, The Prisoner
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