Bron Studios and Media Res have won the rights to the 1981 classicScanners, for a new TV series adaptation. As of now, no writer has been set for this sci-fi TV adaptation, although both studios plan on setting a top-flight filmmaker and showrunner to develop the series, before taking it out and shopping it to cable networks and streaming services. Bron Studios and Media Res beat out a number of different film and TV studios who were all vying for this property.
Deadlinereports that Bron and Media Res beat out other suitors such as Paramount, Lionsgate and Skydance, who were all vying for the title. Bron Studios' Aaron Gilbert and Danielle Reardon will executive produce alongside Clark Peterson (Monster) and Pierre David. Also serving as executive producers are Rene Malo (Decline of the American Empire) and Fanny-Laure Malo, who represent the rights holder on the property, Canada’s Laurem Productions. It isn’t clear what filmmaker or writer the studio will be going after to tackle this adaptation.
The original movie followed a group of individuals with incredible powers known asScanners, who were being hunted down by a corporation named ComSec, to use them for their nefarious gains. These unusual characters possessed powerful telepathic andtelekinetic abilities, which ConSec, a purveyor of weaponry and security systems, wanted to control. The story centers on Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside}, a renegade scanner who was dead set on waging war against ConSec. The corporation sent a powerful scanner of their own, Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) to try and stop him. While the movie wasn’t a massive hit, it did develop into acult classicwith a large following, which lead to eventual sequels.
WhileDavid Cronenbergwas never involved in any of the follow-ups, the original sci-fi movie spawned two sequels, 1991’sScanners II: The New Orderand 1992’sScanners III: The Takeover. There were also two spin-offs a few years later, 1994’sScanner Copand 1995’sScanners: The Showdown, which was also known asScanner Cop II. None of those projects could attain the cult following that the original movie had built throughout the years, and there had been talk of a movie remake for quite some time, but that never happened.
The rights were recently made available for this TV adaptation, after The Weinstein Co. held them for roughly a decade, trying to get the movie remake off the ground. There was previously anotherScanners TV seriesbeing developed with Alexandre Aja, which Rene Malo, Clark Peterson and Pierre David were also attached to, but that never came to fruition. Hopefully now this project can finally move forward and make it to the small screen after all of these years in development.
