wildcards

HBO recently announced plans to end its hit series ‘Game of Thrones’, but they may already have a replacement in place from the same creator, author George R.R. Martin.  The ‘Wild Cards’ book series looks to be headed to television courtesy of Universal Cable Productions.  Martin, however, will NOT be contributing to the adaptation, as he is committed to completing the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ novels, which were the basis of ‘Game of Thrones’.

Martin did, however, proudly announce:

“Universal Cable Productions (UCP) has acquired the rights to adapt our long-running Wild Cards series of anthologies and mosaic novels for television.  Development will begin immediately on what we hope will be the first of several interlocking series. Melinda M. Snodgrass, my assistant editor and right-hand man on Wild Cards since its inception, the creator of Dr. Tachyon, Double Helix, and Franny Black, and a seasoned television writer/ producer whose credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation  (“Measure of a Man”), Reasonable Doubts, The Profiler, and Star Command, is attached as an executive producer on the project, together with Gregory Noveck of Red, Slow Learner, and SyFy Films.”

The ‘Wild Cards’ book series spun out of the ‘Superworld’ role playing game, which Martin co-created with Snodgrass, Gail Gerstner-Miller, Victor Milan, John J. Miller, and Walter Jon Williams, who also contributed to the books, along with additional writers like Roger Zelazny, Lewis Shiner, Pat Cadigan, Howard Waldrop, Edward Bryant, and Stephen Leigh.  The basis is a world where humans are infected with the Wild Card virus which grants some people super powers (Aces) and gives others crippling defects (Jokers).

There is a secret history of the world―a history in which an alien virus struck the Earth in the aftermath of World War II, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Some were called Aces―those with superhuman mental and physical abilities. Others were termed Jokers―cursed with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Some turned their talents to the service of humanity. Others used their powers for evil. Wild Cards is their story.

The various writers contributed short stories and crafted mosaic novels which Martin and Snodgrass edited.  The first book was published in 1987 and a new volume is expected this year.

Universal Cable Productions currently produces Syfy’s ‘The Magicians’ and USA’s buzzy ‘Mr. Robot’ as well as two previous hit shows on that channel, ‘Suits’ and ‘Royal Pains’. In 2011, ‘Wild Cards’ was in development as a movie for Syfy which never materialized.

Does that give Syfy or USA the edge?  Possibly, but there’s no telling where the show– if it comes to fruition– could end up.  It’s entirely possible that HBO could snap up this series and potentially position it as a replacement for ‘GoT’.

Are you a fan of the books?  Are you glad it’s becoming a TV series?  Which network is the best fit for it?

Source: Comic Book Movie