ABC has nabbed an exciting new project: The studio will take over from Warner Bros. TV in creating a sci-fi series based on Karl Alexander’s 1979 novel Time After Time, as well as the film of the same name, according to Deadline. Veteran writer/producer Kevin Williamson will write the script, as well as executive produce.
Interestingly, the Time After Time film wasn’t a straightforward adaptation. The movie was based on the novel, but the screenplay was completed before the book was actually finished. ABC’s series will also put its own new spin on Time After Time, but like the others, it will follow the adventures of H.G. Wells.
Both the book and the film fictionalize the life of Wells, the bestselling British author who wrote The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. The version of him created is one that has invented a time machine. Jack the Ripper is also part of the stories; he manages to travel to 1979 San Francisco where Wells must track him down. The film stars Malcolm McDowell as Wells and David Warner as Jack the Ripper.
It will be interesting to see how Williamson decides to adapt Time After Time. Alexander’s novel and the film brought Wells and Jack the Ripper to what was then present day, so Williamson could potentially do the same with the 21st century. Alternately, he could follow their storylines more closely and set the series in 1979. And then, of course, he could really go crazy and do both. Anything’s possible, after all.
Time After Time won’t be the first out-of-the-ordinary premise that Williamson has worked with. He’s known for creating the likes of The Vampire Diaries, The Following, and Stalker. Williamson has also made a name for himself as a horror flick screenwriter. His credits include the original Scream and two of its sequels, as well as I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cursed.
