If you were on the other side of the debate of whether classic films like Metropolis deserve a reimagining for Television, there is some bad news. Apple TV+'s rumored forthcoming project headed by Sam Esmail, which was supposed to be an adaptation of the legendary Fritz Lang's 1927 classic, has reportedly been scrapped by the network before the production could begin, per Deadline.
The cancelation of this adaptation has raised an important question about the viability of television adaptations inspired by classic films. Though TV is "the" budding medium, especially with the streaming factor replacing cable, it seems that there are still plenty of film purists who do not believe that films like Metropolis deserve a remake of any sort.
This was made abundantly clear by the fans as the news of this cancelation took the internet.
Fans rejoice Metropolis' cancelation on Twitter
Metropolis was greenlit by Apple TV in March 2022 and was already in pre-production. It was also reported by Variety months ago that Briana Middleton has been cast in the lead role of the adaptation. However, it seems all the reported developments will ultimately come to nothing as the series is never going to reach fruition.
Twitter is often the place to get an in-depth opinion on things, especially films and shows. As popular as Fritz Lang's era-defining work is among cinephiles, hardly anyone wanted to see an adaptation of the same.
It would have necessarily not been bad, much like the anthological adaptation of Fargo, but fans were simply not ready to accept something in place of the original. Of course, there were some fans who believed that the project had potential, but the majority sided with Apple TV+'s decision to scrap the series.
Widely considered one of the greatest works of cinema, Metropolis was Fritz Lang's German expressionist science-fiction film adapted from Thea von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name. It is considered a pioneer in the science fiction genre and credited with creating a stylistic form that remained relevant for years.