'MacGyver' TV Reboot Developing At CBS; James Wan To Direct

Way back in 2012, we reported that James Wan was working on a new big-screen feature about MacGyver. The movie never actually came to pass, obviously, but now Wan will get to tackle the resourceful hero from a different angle. CBS has put into development a MacGyver television series, with Wan set to direct the pilot. Get more details on the MacGyver TV reboot after the jump. 

EW reports the MacGyver TV reboot is in active development. R. Scott Gemmill (of JAG, ER, and NCIS: Los Angeles — dude loves his acronyms, apparently) will serve as showrunner. Henry Winkler, who worked on the original series, will executive produce along with Wan and Michael Clear.

The project is described as follows: "A reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening."

MacGyver is part of a large and still-growing trend of classic properties being rebooted for TV. Just today, we heard Lethal Weapon was getting made into a TV show at FOX. New versions of The Muppets and Heroes Reborn are currently airing, and the coming months will bring new episodes of The X-Files and Twin Peaks.

Played by Richard Dean Anderson, Angus MacGyver was sciencing the shit out of sticky situations long Mars was even a twinkle in Matt Damon's eye. The original MacGyver TV series aired for seven seasons between 1985 and 1992 on ABC, which were followed by two TV movies in 1994.

In 2003, The WB attempted to revive the franchise with a Young MacGyver series, starring Jared Paladecki as MacGyver's nephew, but the project never got past the pilot. A few years later, the character sorta-kinda returned to TV in the form of MacGruber, Will Forte's Saturday Night Live parody of the series. MacGruber got his own big-screen feature in 2010.

Wan's last release was Furious 7, but he opted not to come back for Furious 8. Instead, he's currently shooting a sequel to his horror hit The Conjuring. He's additionally set to direct Aquaman, which opens in 2018.