Fantasy Island Reboot TV Series Picked Up By Fox

Fox is getting into the Fantasy Island game, as the network has revealed a straight-to-series [...]

Fox is getting into the Fantasy Island game, as the network has revealed a straight-to-series order for a contemporary version of the classic series. The new Fantasy Island will be coming from writers and producers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain (The 100), Sony Pictures TV, and Gemstone Studios. Craft and Fain will write and executive produce the series, which will keep the format of the original, telling compelling what-if style stories about people heading to the island to live out their ultimate desires and coming to some interesting realizations about themselves and what those desires mean in the process. This is the first production from Gemstone Studios, and they will co-produce with Fox Entertainment (via Deadline).

"In continuing to develop outside of the traditional broadcast cycle, we've been particularly focused on providing viewers with summer series that offer a true escape from everyday life – to be sure, now so more than ever," said Fox Entertainment President Michael Thorn. "Fantasy Island is a beloved program, and the world Liz and Sarah have created for this contemporary adaptation is signature Fox and a perfect show for today's times. After all, who among us wouldn't take a (safe) trip to Fantasy Island right now?"

"Fantasy Island has always been one of our most popular and iconic series and when we heard Liz and Sarah's vision of this world, we immediately knew they were onto something special," said Jeff Frost, President, Sony Pictures Television, and Jason Clodfelter, Co-President, Sony Pictures Television. "We can't think of better partners than Fox to work on this entirely novel take on this classic property — this is truly a wonderful and exciting way to launch our new venture, Gemstone Studios."

The original Fantasy Island launched in 1977 and ran until 1984, and featured Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke and Herve Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo. Since the original concluded Sony has spotlighted the IP several times, including the 1998 revival and a recent interpretation from Blumhouse that featured Michael Pena in the Roarke role and starred Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, Jimmy O. Yang, Ryan Hansen, and more.

Now a whole new generation will have their own version of the show, and it will be interesting to see which direction the show takes, especailly after the successful return of another what-if style revival in The Twilight Zone.

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