Usually when I mention a reboot around here it is all doom and gloom, so with the announcement that ‘Metal Hurlant Chronicles‘ is being rebooted, I’m actually thinking it could be a good idea!
When I first heard about the ‘Metal Hurlant Chronicles’, I was pretty excited. The series, which is based off a slice from the ‘Heavy Metal’ universe, aired briefly on the Syfy network. Each episode involved a different planet with different characters with the only connecting factor was that the story would take place on a planet that the asteroid, aptly named Metal Hurlant, had passed. Even the low budget trailer we had seen couldn’t dash my hopes on a good series. Of course, then I actually had a chance to watch it. I don’t know about you but I was a little let down. The concept was there, the execution, effects, and acting were not. Which is a shame as the actors that they had attached were actually pretty talented.
So Atlantique Productions and WE Productions are working together to reboot the series and have started by hiring writer Jamie Mathieson of ‘Doctor Who‘ and ‘Being Human‘ fame to pen the show. Okay, that should handle a lot of the concept issues I had. Sadly it’s a little too early to know about the rest quite yet. Still, I have hopes for what they are doing.
One major change to this reboot is that instead of each episode being a stand alone they are gong to be giving us a serialized story that has a seasonal arc with a recurring cast. Already, I’m more interested. The show will be an hour long and production is set to begin early in 2015 and to be delivered by the third quarter.
According to Guillaume Lubrano who created and produced the first two seasons the goal for the continuous arc and reoccurring characters is so they could truly “explore the mythology of the Métal Hurlant”
Head writer Mathieson added in that, ‘Métal Hurlant is an iconic comic and the wellspring from which a lot of fledgling UK comics talent took their inspiration. Without Heavy Metal there would be no 2000AD, no Judge Dredd and my childhood would be a much duller place. I am therefore immensely proud to have been invited to helm this redefinition of one small corner of the immensity that is the Heavy Metal universe.”
I think they are making the right choice to continue the series but in a bold new direction by this reboot. Those are words that you won’t see me type too often.
What are your thoughts on ‘Metal Hurlant Chronicles’ being rebooted so soon? Is this the correct course? Should they just cancel the show indefinitely or they try to push forward with what they already had?
Source: Deadline