V
is coming back to the small screen! But what does this mean for plans to
make a big screen movie? We asked show creator Kenneth Johnson . . .
As some of you might know, V creator and head
scribe Kenneth Johnson has been trying to get a big screen V movie off the
ground for quite a while now. V is of course
the popular early 1980s sci-fi TV show about reptilian aliens invading the
Earth by pretending to be our friends.
Johnson, also a major force in the creation of iconic
‘Seventies TV shows such as The Incredible Hulk and the original
Bionic Woman, even wrote a “proper” sequel to the original series in
2007 titled V: The Second Generation.
This sequel was set 20 years after the events of the original 1983
two-part television miniseries. (It basically ignored the events depicted
in the later three-part miniseries V: The Final Battle and the
subsequent V television series that ran from 1984 to 1985.)
In Johnson’s book the Earth is still under the
insidious control of the alien invaders, who now seems stronger than ever.
But there is hope for humanity: the arrival on the streets of L.A. of the
reptilians’ long-time alien enemies. But is it really a case of “my
enemy’s enemy is my friend” and does these new visitors to Earth maybe not
present an even bigger threat to us?
Johnson’s plans for a big screen
V franchise
included a remake of the original mini-series, possibly followed by a
sequel based on the novel.
But now comes the unexpected news that ABC has greenlit
a pilot episode for a remake of the 1984 TV series. According to reports
The 4400 co-creator Scott Peters wrote the project on spec and it
will “center on a female Homeland Security agent.” Apparently Peters will
executive produce the project as well, alongside Jason Hall.
Not seeing Kenneth Johnson’s name anywhere in this, we
e-mailed him, asking what his involvement is in this planned TV pilot and
what it means for his efforts to bring V to the big screen.
Here is the reply we received:
“My involvement is zero […] but Jason and Scott are
talented, nice guys and I wish them good luck. Their series does not
prevent my ongoing efforts to remake my original V as a major motion
picture. Hold good thoughts.”
So there you have it.
