The team behind Amazon’s cult hit sci-fi epic “The Expanse” has set a new series at Amazon MGM Studios. The project, a TV adaptation of book series “The Captive’s War,” is part of a development deal between Amazon and “The Expanse” creator’s newly launched multi-platform media company, Expanding Universe.
Founded by “The Expanse” showrunner Naren Shankar, Breck Eisner (a director on the series), and best-selling novelists and screenwriters Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (who published “The Expanse” books under the pen name James S.A. Corey), Expanding Universe will be announcing additional projects soon.
“The Captive’s War” TV series is an adaptation of the planned book trilogy of the same name from James S.A. Corey, which launched in August with the New York Times bestselling novel “The Mercy of Gods.”
Per the description for the potential series, “Set in a distant future of galactic empires and alien civilizations, and inspired by the biblical Book of Daniel, ‘The Captive’s War’ follows a group of prisoners who rise from the ashes of catastrophe to destroy their conqueror’s society from within. It is an epic tale about the transformative power of individuality in a totalitarian world.”
“The Captive’s War” is executive produced by Shankar, who also serves as writer and showrunner, Abraham and Franck, who will also write, and Eisner, who will also direct.
The project marks a reunion for the producers and Amazon, following “The Expanse,” which ran for six seasons, the first three on Syfy and the final three on Amazon’s Prime Video.
“Expanding Universe is focused on developing sci-fi narratives with sweeping world-building and elevated storylines, geared toward multi-platform expressions in filmed entertainment, gaming, and publishing,” Eisner said. “‘The Captive’s War’ is a perfect launchpad for our model.”
“On ‘The Expanse’ we built a deep, immersive universe filled with great characters and intense, emotional stories — on a budget that wasn’t insane,” Shankar said. “And now we’re bringing that expertise to new storytelling universes and platforms.”
“’The Expanse’ was originally created to be a video game, then it became an RPG, then a novel, then a show, and then a couple of video games,” Franck said. “In a way, it was a roadmap for how Expanding Universe is developing projects now.”
Abraham added: “Our track record has already attracted some exciting material: original features, adaptations by other novelist’s work, and even legacy IPs which would be a blast to reimagine in a modern context. In success, we have the opportunity to bring a new generation of science fiction to the screen.”
Eisner is repped by UTA and Jackoway Austen. Shankar is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen. Franck and Abraham are repped by Danny Baror at Baror International, Inc and Brian Lipson at IPG.
