It’s been nearly fifty years since The Wicker Man scared audiences with its folk horror. Now, the terrifying tale is heading to the small screen in a new adaptation.
Deadline reports Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s The Imaginarium have acquired the rights from Studiocanal, and are currently pitching the TV series to potential broadcasters alongside Urban Myth Films.
BAFTA-winning Misfits and War of the Worlds writer Howard Overman penned the script, and at the time of writing, there’s no director attached to the project.
The Imaginarium Co-Founder Jonathan Cavendish said Overman has “created a bold, shocking and unique series, pulling the themes and terrifying power of the original Wicker Man into a thrilling modern setting.” At the same time, Urban Myth exec Johnny Capps called the project a “fantastic collaboration.”
Deadline notes that Overman has stated the adaptation will differ from the original film but “explore the same themes of sacrifice, superstition, and ritual that were at its core.”
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The original Wicker Man saw Police sergeant Neil Howie called to an island village in search of a missing girl the locals claim never existed. What he finds is stranger as the locals are partaking in twisted rituals. The film was directed by Robin Hardy, and starred Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. A Nicolas Cage-led remake became a cult classic when it arrived in 2006.
