The classic heist tale heads to the small screen as NBC plans an Italian Job tv series
The Italian Job is the latest feature film headed to television. The Hollywood Reporter today brings word that NBC is planning an Italian Job TV series, based on the 1969 heist classic and its subsequent 2003 remake.
Scripted by Troy Kennedy Martin, the original Italian Job was a Paramount Pictures release directed by Peter Collinson. It stars Michael Caine as Charlie Croker, an expert thief who pulls together a team to heist four million dollars of gold in the Italian Alps. The remake, directed by F. Gary Gray, features Mark Wahlberg as the Croker character, but the plot follows a different progression and the story’s action is moved from Italy to Los Angeles. The remake does, however, make use of the original film’s signature getaway car: the Mini Cooper.
Another official remake of The Italian Job, a Bollywood production, was also released as 2012’s Players. There, the heist involves heading to New Zealand and getting gold off of a moving train. Mini Coopers are, naturally, involved.
According to today’s trade report, the Italian Job TV show will shift the plot a bit and, instead of heisting gold as the previous films have done, the heist will center around a team coming together to rescue an older teammate to whom they all owe a debt.
The Italian Job TV show isn’t the only big-to-small screen adaptation headed to the network. They’re also moving forward with a Taken TV show, based on the film franchise starring Liam Neeson.
Benjamin Brand and Rob Weiss are attached to script The Italian Job TV series. They’ll also executive produce alongside Donald De Line under the Paramount Television banner.
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