If you thought being a prolific filmmaker who is pushing 80 years old could stop Ridley Scott from producing content, think again. In addition to having discussed multiple upcoming films that tie into his Alien franchise, the filmmaker also just signed a deal with TNT to bring the TV network original science fiction programming.
TNT’s VP of original programming, Sarah Aubrey, revealed, “We’re looking to create a programming block filled with the kind of imaginative, awe-inspiring storytelling that has made science fiction such a beloved and enduring genre. Ridley Scott has created some of the best and most popular science-fiction movies of all time, and we look forward to bringing his fans even more of his smart, sophisticated stories.”
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Scott said of the opportunity, “Being given the creative license to generate and develop science fiction programming in a variety of formats for TNT is very exciting. This genre is one of my favorites, and there are an infinite amount of original and innovative story ideas out there that we are looking forward to exploring with TNT. It is very exciting for all of us.”
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It’s tough to say exactly what type of programming could come from this partnership, but it’s highly unlikely we’d get anything related to two of his biggest properties, Alien and Blade Runner. The latest Alien film, Alien: Covenant, is hitting theaters in just a few days and Blade Runner 2049 will be released later this year, proving these stories are still box office draws.
Considering his legacy in the world of science fiction, hopefully this partnership results in the filmmaker finding a new generation of storytellers to bring their stories to life in a serialized format.
Another interesting piece of information about this situation has to do with M. Night Shyamalan’s long-delayed partnership with TNT, which was supposed to include a reboot of the Tales from the Crypt TV series, in addition to other programs and films.
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Originally announced in 2016, Shyamalan was to “host” a horror block of programming, which featured the Crypt series, in addition to the series Time of Death and Creatures. Reportedly, the complications with Crypt were a matter of underlying rights to the series, and with the flagship series of the horror block not moving forward, it appears as though the entire horror block has gotten the ax.
The question is now whether the tentative Ridley Scott block of programming will replace Shyamalan’s or if Scott’s partnership could lead to both a sci-fi and horror block of programming moving forward with the network.
[H/T Bloody Disgusting]
