Philip K. Dick’s Hugo Award-winning novel The Man In The High Castle is to turned into a 4-hour miniseries by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions.
Dick used the novel to depict a startling alternate history in which Nazi Germany and Japan were victorious in World War II. The year is 1962 and the Axis Powers occupy the United States, where fascism rules and the few surviving Jews hide under assumed names.
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The series will be produced by Scott Free Productions in partnership with Headline Pictures, Electric Shepherd Productions and FremantleMedia International which will distribute the series globally.
Former X-Files and Hunted writer Frank Spotnitz will write the first two hours and supervise the writing of the second two hours.
“Alternate history stories are part of an amazing and intricate genre of sci-fi,” said Mark Stern President of Original Content, Syfy and Co-Head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions.
“When done well, there’s nothing better; and I can’t think of better creative talent to bring Philip K. Dick’s fascinating alternate-history thriller to life than Ridley Scott and Frank Spotnitz.”
“Ridley Scott is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers and this is one of my all-time favorite books,” added Spotnitz, “so I am incredibly honored and thrilled to have this opportunity.”
“The Man in The High Castle is one of Dick’s most imaginative and captivating works and certainly one of my favorites. I am pleased to team up with the singular Frank Spotnitz and Syfy, Headline Pictures, Electric Shepherd and FremantleMedia International to bring this epic to audiences who will find this story as intriguing and riveting as we do.” said Ridley Scott.
Stewart Mackinnon of Headline Pictures commented, “Philip K. Dick’s classic thriller asks us all to consider what we would do if our world was turned upside down and everything we value is lost. It’s a chilling story that explores our universal hopes and fears.”
“The Man in the High Castle is one of the most highly-regarded and influential novels my father wrote. It’s thrilling to be bringing it to life with such a talented, passionate team, and in a format that can do justice to the full scope of the material,” said Isa Dick Hackett, founder of Electric Shepherd Productions along with her sister Laura Leslie.
David Ellender, CEO FremantleMedia International and Kids & Family Entertainment, said, “When we launched our drama initiative we did so with the goal of bringing together the best producers, writers and broadcasters in the world to create the highest quality and most compelling dramas for global audiences. The Man in the High Castle is exactly this and we look forward to bringing it to screens in the US and beyond.”
