Roland Emmerich is aiming to do the unthinkable. The filmmaker behind the recent Amazon Prime Video series Those About to Die is developing a series remake of David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia, arguably one of the greatest Hollywood films of all time. The 1962 film, starring Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif, won seven Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Here’s what we know so far about the upcoming project.
Lawrence Of Arabia remake series
According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, Independence Day producer Roland Emmerich is teaming up with Bohemian Rhapsody writer Anthony McCarten on the remake of Lawrence of Arabia. The story of the “prestige series” will be told over three seasons, with McCarten writing the first season.
Emmerich said his series will contain stories "of Arabia," instead of "in Arabia" as the series will have "a little bit more characters” than the 1962 film. The filmmaker is also looking ahead to season 2 of Those About to Die, which is set around the gladiator arena in Rome.
ALSO READ: Those About To Die Review: Visually Arresting Yet Overloaded Historical Gladiator Drama Is Not For Faint-Hearted
Fans object to remaking Oscar classic
As news of the remake hit social media, cinephiles spoke up that the series was unnecessary. On X (formerly Twitter), several fans had very strong opinions. One movie buff said, “As someone who only recently watched Lawrence of Arabia for the first time, this is not needed. The film feels pretty “modern,” in my opinion. It’s just a long movie.”
Another added, "Roland Emmerich lacks the prestige and finesse of the late director David Lean. #LawrenceOfArabia is an epic film, exploring the subtleties of identity and culture, and a condemnation of the violence of war. It should not be a boom-boom-blow-things-up 3-season TV series." While yet another fan stated, "Each passing word I read got worse and worse."