'The Prisoner' is making a comeback. The cult 60s secret agent series - which will reportedly star British actor Christopher Ecclestone - is to be remade for Sky TV as a six part drama series. With an £8 million budget, the remake is the satellite broadcaster's most expensive commission to date.
The revamp is expected to retain the familiar themes of conspiracy and paranoia, which spawned original star Patrick McGoohan's famous battle cry "I am not a number, I am a free man". In the original show, McGoohan played 'Number Six' who was trying to escape a top secret government prison to find out his true identity and the true face of the mysterious 'Number One.'
The comeback - which was inspired by the huge success of the new 'Doctor Who ' shows, in which Eccleston starred as the Time Lord in the first series - is reported to be a big gamble by the Sky bosses, but are confident it will be a huge success. A source said: "If 'Doctor Who' set the standard, 'The Prisoner' raises the bar. This series is a sophisticated, high concept drama to rival anything on the terrestrials and the best of the US. It's our biggest drama commission ever and every penny will be evident on screen."
Copyright 2006 BANG Media International
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