'Blake's 7' Reboot: 'Last of Us' Director at Helm! What Will Happen?!

Hold on to your spacesuits, sci-fi fans! It looks like the cult classic "Blake's 7" is getting a reboot, and the team behind it is making some seriously interesting moves. Emmy-nominated director Peter Hoar, fresh off his success with "The Last of Us," is launching a new production company, Multitude Productions, with the explicit goal of bringing back this British sci-fi gem. And he’s not alone; Matthew Bouch, executive producer of "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder," is joining him, along with West End producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. This isn't just some nostalgic whim; they've acquired a whole portfolio of IP, suggesting they're in it for the long haul.

'Blake's 7' Reboot: 'Last of Us' Director at Helm!...

What's fascinating is Hoar's perspective on what makes good science fiction. He's drawing a direct line between "Blake's 7" and the success of "Andor," arguing that it's not about throwing massive amounts of money at a project. He highlights the importance of "integrity, wit, and sophistication," suggesting they're aiming for something more cerebral than just explosions and laser blasts. And let's be honest, that's what made the original "Blake's 7" stand out in the first place – the characters and the political themes.

He even touched on the recent "Doctor Who" shakeup with Disney+, calling it a cautionary tale. Ouch! He basically said throwing money at a show doesn’t guarantee success. He’s right. Sometimes, the heart and soul of a show gets lost in the big budget glitz, and he seems determined to avoid that pitfall. This is a refreshing take in an era of increasingly expensive streaming content.

Bouch added that Multitude is driven by passion and sees a real gap in the UK market for this type of genre-based British IP, especially with the recent "dropping off of Doctor Who." It seems like they want to fill a void. They clearly have their finger on the pulse of what UK audiences are craving.

But "Blake's 7" isn't the only project in the pipeline. They're also developing a TV series adaptation of Luke Rhinehart's "The Search for the Dice Man," with some serious talent attached. They've also optioned Patrick Carman's "Skeleton Creek" book series, which Hoar cleverly describes as "British Stranger Things crossed with Skins." Intriguing, right? Plus, a video game adaptation and another sci-fi series with ITV are also in development. This team is clearly ambitious.

It’s exciting to see a production company focusing on collaborative approaches and multi-writer models. Bouch is skeptical of the "showrunner" model, stating that "those people are relatively few and far between.” Perhaps this more inclusive method will result in better and more authentic storytelling. I, for one, am eager to see what Multitude Productions brings to the screen. Fingers crossed they can recapture the magic of "Blake's 7" for a new generation!