The Wicker Man Being Developed as TV Series by Andy Serkis

By Jamie Jirak

The Wicker Man is a classic British folk horror film from 1973 that followed Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) as he tried to solve the case of a missing child on the mysterious Scottish island of Summerisle. In 2006, the movie was remade with Nicolas Cage as its star, and while the newer version was panned by critics and audiences alike (it has a 15% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes while the original has an 89%), it's become infamous for its "not the bees" scene. Now, 16 years after the remake was released and nearly 50 years after the original, it's been announced that a new series is being developed by Andy Serkis. 

According to Deadline, Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish's The Imaginarium and StudioCanal-backed Urban Myth Films have acquired the rights from StudioCanal, and plan to turn The Wicker Man into a series. Howard Overman (Misfits, War of the Worlds) has written the script and it's being reported that the show is "in the early stages of pitching to potential broadcasters." 

Overman says this new version of The Wicker Man will be different from the original, but "explore the same themes of sacrifice, superstition, and ritual that were at its core." Cavendish added that Overman has "created a bold, shocking, and unique series, pulling the themes and terrifying power of the original Wicker Man into a thrilling modern setting." Urban Myth's Johnny Capps said that the show is a "fantastic collaboration." 

Is Andy Serkis Directing The Wicker Man?

As for Serkis, the Lord of the Rings, Marvel, and The Batman star recently helmed Venom: Let There Be Carnage, but there's no word if he'll be directing any of The Wicker Man or appearing in the project. However, we would not be surprised if he at least tackled the pilot, considering shows often have big names at the helm for their first episodes. As for Serkis' other upcoming projects, his long-gestating adaptation of Animal Farm is still in development. 

"The challenging journey to bring this extraordinary story to the screen has been finally rewarded by the opportunity to partner with the brilliant team at Aniventure and Cinesite," Serkis said in a statement. "Together we hope to make our version of [George] Orwell's ever-relevant masterpiece, emotionally powerful, humorous, and relatable for all ages. A tale not only for our times, but for generations to come."

"Ever since 1945, when George Orwell first published Animal Farm, the story has remained relevant and a key instrument in understanding how the world works," producer Adam Nagle added. "Andy has had a special talent for creating unique and memorable characters during his remarkable career and we're thrilled to be working with him, Jonathan and Cinesite to adapt Animal Farm for modern audiences."

Are you excited about The Wicker Man series? Tell us in the comments! 

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