Metropolis Series From Sam Esmail Coming To Apple TV+

"Mr. Robot" creator Sam Esmail is working on a series inspired by "Metropolis" for Apple. Esmail has had his eye on the project for a while, as it was first reported he was developing a TV adaptation already in 2016.

"Metropolis" has long been considered a groundbreaking piece of cinema history, one of the most influential films of the silent era, and one of the greatest works of science fiction. The 1927 German film by Fritz Lang takes place in a futuristic city called, well, Metropolis. It is divided between lavish skyscrapers where the wealthy live, and the dangerous working-class world of engines and machines that make the city function. The film combines a tale of two star-crossed lovers with a story of social unrest all while introducing one of the coolest robots on film. "Metropolis" continues to be an impressive feat of filmmaking, with stunning visual effects and gorgeous set designs.

Sadly, despite being such an influential work of art, most cinephiles have never seen the film the way it was meant to be seen, with the original 153-minute cut being lost to time. The closest we've come to replicating the original film was a 2010 cut that ran for 148 minutes. And now, we're getting an Apple TV+ adaptation. 

For the new version of "Metropolis," Esmail is set to serve as both writer, director, executive producer, and also showrunner. This is a fitting project for Esmail, who has already proven adept at combining timely social commentary with sci-fi concepts in the fantastic "Mr. Robot." Just as Lang employed novel filmmaking techniques for "Metropolis," Esmail too employed unconventional choices in his acclaimed series, shooting all scenes with a lower quadrant framing.

Since the end of "Mr. Robot," Esmail has worked on the Prime Video series "Homecoming," based on the popular podcast of the same name. Keeping with the sci-fi theme, the filmmaker is also an executive producer on an upcoming reboot of "Battlestar Galactica" at Peacock.

There is no news on when "Metropolis" may enter production, but given how long Esmail has been trying to get the project going, it's likely Apple will try to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. The fact that it is Apple that is producing this show is an interesting choice. While there has been a lot of talk about the search for the next big fantasy show to rival "Game of Thrones," Apple has seemingly been trying to find the next big sci-fi series instead. From "For All Mankind," to "Amazing Stories," to "Invasion," the streaming has invested in the genre, and let us not forget about the other adaptation of a highly influential sci-fi story that Apple produced, "Foundation." That show boasts incredible blockbuster film-style visuals, so let's hope the streamer also puts some dollars on "Metropolis."