TVSquad

While we're anxiously -- and optimistically -- awaiting the AMC remake of the classic Patrick McGoohan spy series The Prisoner, filmmaker Christopher Nolan has abandoned a big screen version of The Prisoner. Nolan reportedly will concentrate instead on a third Batman movie.

It's always daunting to remake a classic. In TV circles, it doesn't get much more "classic" than The Prisoner.

In a press conference at Comic-Con International Friday, the cast and creative team from AMC's six-episode remake discussed the rigors of re-envisioning Patrick McGoohan's landmark show.

Series stars Jim Caviezel and Jamie Campbell-Bower joined writer Bill Gallagher to greet the press after presenting a nine-minute trailer for the show to a packed Comic-Con panel.

As a promotion for its upcoming broadcast of the remake of The Prisoner starring Jim Caviezel and Sir Ian McKellan, AMC is allowing people to view the entire original series on its website for free. Patrick McGoohan stars in the series he co-created.

I cannot recommend watching this series enough, especially if you haven't already. I picked up the 40th anniversary DVD set with no regrets. It was quite revolutionary for its time and used a lot of story devices that were unheard of on television back then (such as having an entire episode be a story told by Number Six to a bunch of children). And let us not forget the signature attack-balloon, Rover.

I doubt the remake mini-series will hold up to the original as it was really a product of its time, but Ian McKellan is an excellent actor and his involvement is enough to pique my interest. I suspect that, much like many of the remakes nowadays, this will bear only a superficial resemblence to the original.

Some details have been released regarding the new mini-series series remake of The Prisoner, the cult 1960s series starring Patrick McGoohan. For now, these should be treated as rumors.

Supposedly, Jim Caviezel will play the Prisoner known only as Number Six, and Sir Ian McKellan is set to play the jailer known as Number Two. Six episodes will be produced and John Jones will direct.

This report sounds too good to be true. It's doubtful that either Caviezel or McKellan would slum it to a television mini-series from the movies they've been making. On the other hand, McKellan has put in television appearances before (such as Extras).

While I'm a fan of McKellan's work, wouldn't it be more loyal to the source material if multiple actors played Number Two? I'm just saying.

Shooting begins at the end of August (and scheduled to air next year). At that point, we'll see if the report is accurate.

UPDATE 6/30/2008: AMC Television has officially announced this series.

[via AICN]