In my book and most others The Twilight Zone is categorized as one of the best TV shows ever made. It was a suspenseful show that mixed and matched all kinds of genres including psychological thriller, science fiction, and horror. It entertained, with its wild, out of nowhere twists and turns. It fascinated by holding a mirror to society in discreet and sometimes blatant ways. It premiered in 1959 with inventive creator and narrator Rod Serling; its original run lasted until 1964 after 156 episodes aired. Since then, the series has been revived twice in 1985 and again in 2002, and in 1983 Steven Spielberg produced a feature film based on the show. The TV revivals did not have the same spark and tenacity as the original run with Serling, but producer/writer/director Bryan Singer thinks third time’s the charm.
The Twilight Zone is looking to make another comeback. Singer, who is best known for directing the first two X-Men movies in that franchise and the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, as well as the pilot for House and the recent Mockingbird Lane special, has signed a deal “to develop, executive produce and possibly direct a reboot” of The Twilight Zone, scoops Deadline. The site reports that the new drama series project is in the “early stages” of development, so we may be eyeing a fall 2014 debut or later at this point (especially with Singer being so busy with his film career at the moment). Though the reboot hasn’t been pitched to networks yet, it is being surmised that CBS will be its home since it owns the rights to the original series. Currently it’s set up at CBS TV Studios, they’re looking for a writer to come up with a pilot script, and Singer hopes to direct it.
Are you looking forward to new installments of The Twilight Zone? Can it ever reach the same levels of success and permeate people’s psyches the way it used to without the ever-present Mr. Serling at the helm? Do you think an anthology series could work on network TV today? FX has proven it can with American Horror Story, so perhaps.
[Via Deadline]