Santa Monica, CA — Updated 06 January 2017 –A solid strategy the networks continue to employ is re-making a popular film as a television series and/or re-booting a successful series with a new incarnation.

Netflix just premiered the Latina re-boot of Norman Lear’s groundbreaking series, One Day at a Time.  The CW has ordered a prequel for Charmed and is soon to premiere its dark and edgy version of Riverdale (based on the Archies).

This season, FOX seems to be winning with remakes of Lethal Weapon and The Exorcist.  The CW’s Frequency looks like a loser, though, as does Shooter on USA (renewed for S2).  Hey, ya win some and lose mostly with this strategy, but when studios have vast film libraries to exploit, nothing is beyond resurrection.  Fargo on FX is the current standard bearer for all newcomers.  Bates Motel, a re-make of Psycho, closes out its fifth (and final) season on A&E.

NBC still has yet to premiere its re-make of Taken and has dropped its plan to bring back Cruel Intentions (with Sarah Michelle Gellar reprising her role).  I am very curious to see the Peacock Network’s upcoming Emerald City, a new spin on The Wizard of Oz (mixed with some Game of Thrones sexy).  Here’s the trailer:

Netflix is promoting its re-make of Lemony Snicket with Neil Patrick Harris starring as Count Olaf (supplanting Jim Carrey, thankfully) in A Series of Unfortunate Events

Preview of NPH as Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket

Meanwhile, CBS’ re-boot of Hawaii Five-O just clocked its 150th episode. Mahalo!

Here are the titles bought and sold thus far for the upcoming Pilot Season…

RE-MAKES & RE-BOOTS

• Charmed on The CW.  Ben Silverman and director Brad Siberling executive produce this prequel to the successful Aaron Spelling-produced series that ran for eight seasons.  Set in 1976, looks like we’ll see the Origin Story of The Halliwell Sisters starting with their mother.
• The Honeymooners at CBS.
• Car Wash at ABC.
• Snowpiercer at TNT. Pilot order for the TV version of 2013 Bong Joon-ho film.  Josh Friedman scripts the futuristic tale that’s kinda depressing!
• Blue Crush at NBC.  Brian Grazer EPs the drama re-make for TV about girls surfing in Hawaii.  Hope they make it!
• American Gigolo at Showtime.  Uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer made the sale resurrecting the tale of a male escort in LA that made Richard Gere famous.
• Will & Grace at NBC.  Event series re-boot of 10 episodes.  Good idea.
• Equity at ABC.  The Anna Gunn film about financial crisis gets a TV version.
• Sneakers at NBC.  Lovable cyber criminals but without Redford and Co.
• Infamous at NBC.  Put pilot commitment for this legal drama procedural based on the 2009 Icelandic series Rettur.
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Producer Steve Golin to re-make via Anonymous Content and UCP. No network attached yet.  Young couple erases each other’s mind after a painful breakup.  Feels very CW to me.

• L.A. Law.  Steven Bochco and 20th TV shopping a re-make.  Too soon!
• Dynasty at The CW. Fallon vs. Krstyle (who is now Latina).  Sigh.
• S.W.A.T. at CBS.  Re-boot of the Aaron Spelling series, now with an African American lead.
• Magnum, P.I. at ABC.  Sorry to report.  Too soon.  Tom Selleck is on the air still (at CBS, no less!) with Blue Bloods.  Creative brain drain.  Female version.  Ugh.
• The Italian Job at NBC.  Paramount execs have been raiding their library like crazy!
• Shutter Island at HBO.  See above.
• She’s Gotta Have It at Netflix.  Spike Lee re-makes his own film as a series.
• The Departed at Amazon.  New version features a Latino gang.
• Snatch at Crackle.  Rupert Grint stars in the series based on the Guy Ritchie film.
• The Lost Boys at The CW.  Keifer Sutherland, John Litghow, Dianne Weist, Jason Patric, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman.  Pretty cool cast and one hard to match.
• The Last Tycoon at Amazon.  Matt Bomer and Kelsey Grammar star.
• Friday Night Dinner at CBS.  The UK comedy gets remade for the US audience.
• Varsity Blues at CMT.
• Heathers at TV Land.  Pilot has been ordered to series, and now, it’s an Anthology (another trend!)

Next Up:  Family comedies and dramas are evergreen script sales.