Apple Picks Up Sam Esmail’s ‘Metropolis’ Series Adaptation

Joe Otterson
·2 min read
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Sam Esmail’s “Metropolis” series has been greenlit at Apple, Variety has learned.

The drama series is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name. Hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era, the story takes place in the futuristic city of Metropolis.

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While the city’s wealthy elite enjoy a lavish life of comfort and ease in penthouses and pleasure gardens, scores of workers labor at dangerous machinery in the bowels of the city to keep everything running. Freder Fredersen, the son of the most powerful man in Metropolis, has an awakening after meeting a young worker named Maria and witnessing a number of workers die in an industrial accident.

Esmail will serve as writer, director, executive producer, and showrunner on “Metropolis.” Esmail and Chad Hamilton will executive produce via Esmail Corp. UCP is the studio. Esmail Corp. is currently under a rich overall deal at the studio.

“Metropolis” has been on Esmail’s plate since at least 2016, when it was first reported that he was developing a series adaptation of the film.

Esmail is known for creating the critically-acclaimed USA Network drama “Mr. Robot.” That show served as a breakout role for Rami Malek, who picked up an Emmy for his role in the series in 2016. “Mr. Robot” was ultimately nominated for 14 Emmys throughout its four-season run.

Esmail’s recent credits include the Amazon series “Homecoming,” on which he was an executive producer and director. He is also an executive producer on the upcoming Starz drama “Gaslit” as well as “The Resort,” “Angelyne,” and a “Battlestar Galactica” reboot at Peacock.

Esmail is repped by CAA and Mckuin Frankel Whitehead.

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