A new adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds novel is currently in the works for the small screen. The classic alien invasion story could make for great television, and there are plenty of networks where it could be a perfect fit. Syfy would certainly make sense, and the latest fad for the major broadcast networks seems to be producing adaptations of existing stories. As it happens, however, War of the Worlds is in development for a pretty unlikely channel: MTV.
The War of the Worlds adaptation will be a drama series giving a contemporary take on H.G. Wells legendary novel, which was published back in 1898. The novel is as thrilling now as it was back in the late 19th century, but the plot will definitely need an update to appeal to the MTV target audience. MTV has assembled a dream team to turn War of the Worlds into must-see TV for its viewers.
Former Teen Wolf writer Andrew Cochran is on board to pen the project, and Teen Wolf showrunner Jeff Davis will executive produce. Teen Wolf has been an unexpectedly huge hit for MTV, and a lot of the credit for adapting a 90 minute werewolf movie from 1985 into a TV show that is heading into its sixth season goes to Davis. If anybody can pull off turning the scary story of War of the Worlds into a show with mass appeal to teens and young adults, it's Davis. Deadline reports that he'll be joined as executive producer by Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz of production company The Firm.
The MTV adaptation is only the latest of many projects based on H.G. Wells' novel. The most famous has to be the 2005 theatrical version directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise and a young Dakota Fanning. The film was only loosely based on the book. Another version of War of the Worlds for the small screen has been in development since December 2015, and production was originally slated to begin in the early part of 2017. It's possible that viewers will be in for two different adaptations of the same novel sooner rather than later, although there's no confirmation of when we can expect to see War of the Worlds on MTV.
Changes have been on the horizon for MTV for a while now. It was announced last spring that the next broadcast year would be a landmark for the MTV brand, and the network has been getting back into music programming in recent months. War of the Worlds presumably won't be a musical, but it could work as a replacement for Teen Wolf after it comes to an end following Season 6. MTV will want to hold onto the viewers who have stuck with Teen Wolf through thick and thin; War of the Worlds with Jeff Davis at the helm might do the trick.
Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch while you wait for more news on the War of the Worlds front, and don't forget to take a look at our list of remakes to see what other adaptations are in the works for the small screen.
