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.

He is not a number. He is a free man -- and he's coming to Comic-Con.

The stars of AMC's mini-series remake of The Prisoner are headed to San Diego's mega-convention. The new Number Six, Jim Caviezel, will join Jamie Campbell-Bower (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and Lennie James (Jericho) for a panel and preview of the six-part series.

The Prisoner tells the story of a retired spy who finds himself abducted and spirited away to a mysterious Village where nameless authority figures struggle to break his mind and spirit while he battles to escape. The show is known for its moral and existential themes as much as its sharp writing and distinctive art design.

Just the other night I was watching the Simpsons episode "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes." It featured a spoof of The Prisoner, and Patrick McGoohan even reprised his role as Number 6 in the episode. McGoohan didn't do a ton of television, so it was really cool that he decided to lend his voice to the episode. I wonder how many fans of the Simpsons had no idea what the references in the show even meant and were just confused by it all.

McGoohan died in Los Angeles yesterday at age 80.

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.

I don't know how they keep doing it; AMC that is. Not only have they brought us stellar series (Mad Men) after stellar series (Breaking Bad), but now they've managed to snag two big-time Hollywood names to join the cast of their remake of one of the smartest shows in television history. What started as rumor, that even we at TV Squad had a hard time believing, is now fact. Both Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan have been cast in AMC's remake of The Prisoner. Caviezel is set to fill Patrick McGoohan's shoes as the titular "Number Six," while McKellan will step into the role of "Number Two."

AMC's The Prisoner is scheduled to be a six-part mini-series. It hasn't been made clear if those six parts are one hour, two or a combination of both, but either way the original wrapped up in 17 so there's no reason to think we can't get a satisfying tale in six installments. With casting of the two principals announced, it's actually safe to say now that this thing might really get made. AMC is cruising right along with their original programming, and after forty years, I think we're due a re-imagining of this classic series. And unlike the disastrous The Andromeda Strain at A&E, I have faith that AMC won't let me down ... don't let me down, AMC!

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]

I'm not the kind of person who gets her panties in a twist over a favorite book being brought to the screen, a movie being turned into a television series or Shakespeare getting a modern revamp. Different mediums. Different stories. Different times. In the hands of the right artist, you get an equally exciting cultural product to hug, love, squeeze and call "George." Even crappy re-tellings don't have to denigrate the original. They're not necessary - High Fidelity didn't need to be a Broadway musical; Gus Van Sant didn't need to remake Psycho shot-for-shot; and no one needs to see The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. But, for the most part, these things come and go. They haven't bothered me any... until now.

Chris Nolan, the director of last year's summer blockbuster Batman Begins, is nearing a deal to direct a movie version of the cult classic television show The Prisoner.

According to the website comingsoon.net Nolan will direct a contemporary version of the show once he is finished with production of The Dark Knight, a sequel to Batman Begins. The movie adaptation of The Prisoner will be written by Janet and David Peoples (Twelve Monkeys, Blade Runner). It's unknown if this modern version of the show will connect in any way with the remake of The Prisoner that has been commissioned by Britain's Sky One satellite channel.

Only lasting 17 episodes back in 1967, The Prisoner featured Patrick McGoohan as a government agent who resigns, is kidnapped, and placed on an isolated island known as the Village. It's there that he is given the new identity of Number 6. If you are interested in getting a feel for the series, number one fan Michael Sciannamea is currently reviewing episodes of The Prisoner for TV Squad's Retro Squad column.

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of your favorite shows, in order, every week.

(S01E01) "I am not a number. I am a free man!"

You can't get much more "retro" than The Prisoner, which first appeared on British television in the fall of 1967 and then in the U.S. about a year later. It starred Patrick McGoohan, who also served as the 17-episode show's executive producer. (You may remember him as the warden of Alcatraz in Escape from Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood.)

When you watch this show, it seems other-worldly. Granted, it's nearly 40 years old, but it also was ahead of it's time, especially in the blending of technology into the stories. (Dig those cool cordless phones!) It also has influenced many television shows and movies (just do a Google search and you'll see what I mean). It's very difficult to talk about a show you've seen many times and have enjoyed for just as long without giving away too much, but let me set you up with the basic premise and take off from there.

Our fellow blogger and The Prisoner fan Michael Sciannamea will be happy to hear this!

The British satellite channel Sky One is giving a green light for a remake of the cult-classic The Prisoner, which aired on ITV from 1967 until early 1968. The new series would run for six episodes to be aired next year, which would be the 40th anniversary of the series.

There are unconfirmed reports that Number 6, the main character that was played by Patrick McGoohan, will be played by Christopher Eccleston. Eccleston is currently portraying The Doctor in the new series of Doctor Who episodes being broadcast in America on the Sci-Fi Channel. Eccleston lasted only one season on the show and was replaced by David Tennant in the series currently running on the BBC.

The remake of The Prisoner will stick to the original concept of the series: a government agent is drugged and sent to a prison called The Village after he resigns from service. While in prison people are referred to by their numbers rather than their names. This version of the series will probably have a modern shine to it. Perhaps it will take place in one of those secret CIA prisons we aren't supposed to know about.