The upcoming short-form streaming service Quibi has announced three new projects in development for the platform in remakes of The Fugitive and Varsity Blues, as well as the original superhero series Crazy Talented.
Nick Santora (Scorpion, Prison Break) is producing the reimagined take on The Fugitive, based upon the classic 60s TV series and the 1993 movie starring Harrison Ford. It will follow “blue collar worker Mike Russo, who just wants to make sure his wife, Allison, and 10-year-old daughter, Pearl, are safe, when a bomb rips through the Los Angeles subway train he’s riding on. But the faulty evidence on the ground and ‘tweet-now, confirm-later’ journalism paint a nightmarish picture: it looks to all the world that Mike was responsible for the heinous act. Wrongfully—and very publicly—accused, Mike must prove his innocence by uncovering the real perpetrator, before the legendary cop heading the investigation can apprehend him. With the city in a state of panic and misinformation traveling at the speed of social media, Mike’s life and family hang in the balance as he becomes… The Fugitive.”
The Varsity Blues series is being developed by Tripper Clancy (Stuber), while Mike Tollin and Tova Laiter, producers of the original movie, are on board as executive producers, with Tollin stating that: “For all those who cheered Mox’s refrain, ‘I don’t want your life,’ as well as all those who never heard of the West Canaan Coyotes, we’re thrilled to bring Varsity Blues to Quibi and into the 21st century!”
Meanwhile, The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman is producing the superhero project Crazy Talented from writer Michael Karnow (Alphas), and based upon a short story by Steve Gould (Jumper). The logline reads: ” The world’s most powerful superheroes are trying to stop the world’s most devastating threat — alien weapons falling into the wrong hands and obliterating life as we know it. At least that’s what they’ve been told. Patients in a psych ward are convinced by a charismatic leader that their defects actually are extraordinary “talents.” He’s clearly out of his mind. But just because it’s crazy doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Quibi, backed by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, is set to launch in Spring 2020 and will offer subscribers a series of “quick bite” short form content, delivered in chapters. Other projects planned include the Steven Spielberg-penned horror series Spielberg’s After Dark, sci-fi drama Don’t Look Deeper, Sam Raimi horror anthology 50 States of Fear, Anna Kendrick buddy comedy Dummy, Peter Farrelly comedy The Now, and an untitled Guillermo del Toro zombie series.
Via Deadline, THR
Originally published July 14, 2019. Updated July 13, 2019.
