Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men was one of my top 10 movies of 2006. When I saw the movie I was so enamored with this post-apocalyptic world where women have become infertile, and no one had been born in the last 16 years. Basically it’s a world where everyone is living in knowledge that they are the last generation on earth. It’s an interesting place for a story, and I always wished it could be explored at more length.
And now my wish might be granted, as it was announced at last week’s SciFi upfronts that David Eick, writer-producer on the Battlestar Galactica and Bionic Woman contemporary remakes, is writing a pilot script for a series based on Children of Men. Of course in the movie, loosely adapted from the book (from what I understand the film used the story concept and not much more), “a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child’s birth may help scientists to save the future of mankind.”
“It’s really taking root more in the origins of the novels in that it will focus on the cultural movement in which young people become the society’s utter focus. Much like our culture, whenever Lindsay Lohan does something [and] it becomes the headline of every news show, it’s about how, when you don’t have a responsibility to the next generation and you’re free to do whatever you want, where do you draw the line?” Eick said in an interview with SciFi. “It’s not really a war show like the movie was. It’s more an exploration of that issue.”
The issue he speaks of is “how society defines responsibility, freedom and a sense of values when it doesn’t necessarily believe humans will survive as a species.” I’m in, especially if they try to incorporate some of the gritty visual cinematography that was part of the film.
Discuss: Will you watch a Children of Men television show?
via: AICN
March 27th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Children of Men was the best film of 2006, so I’ll be checking it out. I won’t get my hopes too high though. It sounds like they are going to do their own thing instead of just copying Cuaron’s work. Which is great, so I’m in.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Will I be watching it? Probably not. Unless it was good.
Call me a cynic, but there are far too many conversions, updates, sequels, prequels, and other tie-ins and add-ons in the film industry today. I believe that these extras appeal only to the fanboys and lessen the impact of the original.
A book and a movie, that’s all there needs to be. And even most movies are a bit superfluous.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I am not expecting a Children of Men show to be any good, but it depends on who will air it and such. The SciFi channel sucks and is probably the worst station on tv.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Keep in mind that David’s role on Battlestar is not that of a writer or even the creative generative force. I might tune if if Ronald Moore joins in or they get some of the Battlestar writers. Otherwise I don’t have a lot of faith in David as a creative master. Bionic Woman was pretty lame. Overall I think Children of Men should have be left alone.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Frankly, I’d hate to see this made into a TV series, Children of Men works as a standalone film, and I find often with sequels and spin-offs that they simply serve to add mediocrity.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Hell Yeah!
March 27th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
No.
What I loved about the film was the atmosphere, characters, film’s rather comicbook-like structure, the great long takes, etc.
The premise was little more than an excuse.
If you wanna make a TV series out of it, you’ll basically be taking the worst part of the whole thing (the premise) and tossing away everything that actually rocked in the film.
March 27th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I would def watch this - i thought the premise of the film was great, but didnt really like the film, so i would hope the series did the stroy justice…
March 27th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
no thanx!!!
March 27th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
It will probably bomb….but I can only hope it’s as amazing as the film. Children was by far my favorite film of 2006.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
hahahahahahaha
March 27th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I’ll watch it to gauge it’s quality. After that if it is good, I’ll continue to watch.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
children of men was such an amazing film and was oscar snubbed. as a tv series, interesting but i wouldnt wanna watch it on the scifi channel. that channel alone makes anything uninteresting.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
More than anything else, I’d like to see a follow up all about the Human Project. Who they were, how they came about, what they’re up to, and what they’re trying to accomplish.
For me that was one of the most interesting things about the entire movie. And of course, it was my favorite movie of 2006 also.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
This is right up Eick’s alley. The gritty post-apocalyptic style is similar to how Battlestar is filmed. If he’s smart, he’s learned from Bionic Women and will bring along some of Battlestar’s writers and crew (seeing it’s their last season, they’ll be available).
Sci-fi does indeed suck (as many have stated), but Battlestar is not only the best show on that Network, but one of the top 10 TV shows in production right now. If it’s competently done in a similar vein as Battlestar, I wouldn’t care what channel it was on, I’d still watch.
March 28th, 2008 at 5:42 am
i’m definitely checking this out. but i think it might where thin quickly unless the writing is spectacular (like BSG).
March 28th, 2008 at 11:44 am
The book adapts superbly on film, not so much as a TV show (An example which also happens to concern dystopian futures etc etc: Logan’s Run on film, which was great, and the short lived Logan’s Run on TV, which was subpar). I’ll still tune in to see how the first few episodes turn out, perhaps they can expand it into something more.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:51 am
I would watch it. I loved the movie and am willing to at least give it a chance. I cant say if it will be good or bad and honestly no one should judge it before seeing it.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS!! Seriously, one of the whole points of Children of Men was the ambiguity of it all. Is it just me or does the american media industry seem to need to exploit every aspect of every great story until its dead?
March 28th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Movies to TV Shows never go down well.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I don’t think they should adapt it into a TV series. I loved the film and how it was made and I think that this was the reason everyone loved the story.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I’ll give it at least 6 episodes. The movie was beyond stunning, and I think in years to come will be seen as 2001 is today. Granted, tv spinoffs invariably suck when the movie is good, (and as Stargate: Franchise 1 & 2 will confirm, usually the spinoff is much better when the movie is iffy or crap.) But I’ll at least give it a shot. I loved Bionic Woman as well, and of course BSG is the best scifi on telley in the last 20 years…
March 28th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
worth a shot. should be set in blighty though, it’s only fair. and, indeed, it would be preferable were ronald d moore involved as bionic woman pales in comparison to bsg so clearly they do their best work together.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
The only way this could work is if it had the same visual style of the film. One of the best things about Children of Men was the gritty, realistic feel to it, which was refreshing in a world of slick sci-fi films. I can’t see a television adaptation working well if it isn’t as arresting as the film.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Hey, the wrieters, actors, and well - ME are the reason “from the makers of BSG” has any weight or meaning, so don’t be fooled by those enjoying their association to the show. BSG already deals with the posobility of humanity ending, and there is still a LOT more to explore in a series like C.O.M. - however as most point out: you need great writing. And that is yet to be determined of the writers behind the new series. Two words…Bionic Woman…ugh
March 28th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I always like reading these posts because for the most part people usually pick apart how the movie was diffferent from the book. It’s obvious that no one here has read the book because if the TV show is to bring Children of Men back to it’s roots, then it will be nothing like the movie at all. I like the movie, but the society in the movie will be the focus (much like the book) which I thought was more of a backdrop of the movie (which I was disappointed in it becoming the whole fleeing and fighting throughout the movie).
March 28th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Just another money hungry studio that wants to take something beautiful and commercialize it. Next thing you know they’ll be wanting to remake Citizen Kane.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Hello, Ron, much love for the BSG from me…
I know I’ll be the subject of ridicule, but I actually enjoyed the modernizing of Bionic Woman. Granted, the thread with her little sister got saccharine at times, but I think the things that people complain about (violence, nanotech, etc.) are things that gave it strength.
I was listening to a local interview this week with the creator of the original Bionic Woman back in the 70s (as well as Alien Nation, and V) and he despised the violence and lack of “lighthearted humor” in the show. I think a lot of us look back on those old shows as way too campy (goofy retarded lizards in V, or drinking sour milk and eating dead beaver in Alien Nation are both excellent examples, not to mention the g-damn Bionic Dog!) I saw the violence inherent in the modern BW reflected the world we live in now with the war on terror and all…
Just my two cents. =1
March 28th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
dudelove: You are wrong. I have read the book. I enjoyed it very much. A television series based on the book might be interesting. My two cents worth was about the film and the addition of the Human Project. I know full well that the tv show will be based on the BOOK. And that the movie and book were very much different. I’ll watch if Katie Sackhoff is apart and if her character’s name just so happens to be Kara Thrace…
I’m not one to skepticize, but I’m questioning the comment from Ron Moore. Anyone can link to scifi.com/bsg That’s all well and fine. I have a hard time believing its the real RDM. I need proof before I believe that RDM would criticize Eick’s Bionic Woman.
I am the Fifth, Beeyotches.
March 28th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I will check it out. The premis is awesome and if you compare the book to the film there is more of a world to explore.
Could get pretty damn depressing though. Hope to see more with the porcelain dolls stuff from the book.
March 29th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Kyle, you are so not the Fifth.
RDM, is that you!?
The movie Children of Men was so overrated. I for one think a TV show could do the original concept from the book justice is placed in the right hands.