Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg are set to work on a TV series adaptation of the 1991 psychological thriller film Cape Fear. The two cinema giants have had a significant role in shaping the landscape of Hollywood. Both have a distinctive style and a long list of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films and the TV series is expected to be their first remarkable project together.
Starring Robert De Niro, Scorsese’s 1991 film was a huge critical and commercial hit, grossing over $182 million at the box office and earning two Oscar nominations. The series marks the first-ever collaboration of the two most impactful directing forces in the industry.
Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg to Collaborate on Cape Fear TV Series
Known among some of the best filmmakers in the industry, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg are joining forces for the first time to work on a TV series based on the classic thriller Cape Fear. According to Deadline, they will executive produce the series adaptation.
Known for true crime and horror dramas like Channel Zero, The Act, and Brand New Cherry Flavor, Nick Antosca is joining the Oscar-winning filmmakers as an executive producer and will also be the creator and showrunner. It is in development by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group and Amblin Television.
The series is reportedly in the early stages of bidding. Several networks and streamers, including Peacock, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, and AppleTV+, are reported to be interested in the series. The original Cape Fear, based on the 1957 novel The Executioners, was released in 1962.
Steven Spielberg initially developed the film’s 1991 adaptation of Cape Fear before he backed out, as he found it too violent of a film to make. Spielberg traded the film to Scorsese and went on to work on the Oscar-winning epic historical drama Schindler’s List.
What Will the Cape Fear TV Series Be About?
The 1962 and the 1992 films follow a vengeful criminal who spends his time in prison learning about the legal system to seek revenge against a former public defender who failed to get him off the charges. Both movies have been received pretty well, with Martin Scorsese’s 1991 adaptation even landing two Oscar nominations at the 64th Academy Awards.
Deadline reports that Nick Antosca has been a huge fan of both Cape Fear movies and approached the studio intending to adapt the story into a TV series. His take on the story will reportedly take a look at America’s modern obsession with true crime. The TV series follows a married couple of attorneys who must confront their own past actions when a notorious killer from their past is released after serving years in prison.
There have been several discussions over how Cape Fear (1991) would have turned out under Steven Spielberg, and the series could offer a potential window into the filmmaker’s approach to the psychological thriller.
Both Cape Fear movies are available to rent or buy at Prime Video.
