The Oscar-winning Miloš Forman-directed movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, starring Jack Nicholson, could get the television treatment.
Producer Paul Zaentz, the nephew of the Hollywood classic’s original producer Saul Zaentz, mentioned plans for a series during a press conference at the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), in which he appeared with Cuckoo’s Nest producer and Hollywood legend Michael Douglas. The two traveled to the Czech spa town to present a newly restored version of the 1975 classic as it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
The movie is based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey about a new patient at a mental institution. Louise Fletcher portrays the domineering head nurse Ratched.
“Over the last 50 years, there have been hundreds of calls from studios, directors, and producers who want to remake the movie, and we would never allow it to be remade if they were just going to do it as Miloš made it,” Zaentz shared. “It would be a dishonor.”
But he also had some exciting news to share. “We just made an arrangement with Ken Kesey’s family to possibly do a television series, but it’s based on the book, and the book was told through the eyes of Chief Bromden,” the tall, deaf-mute Native American portrayed in the movie by Will Sampson, Zaentz told reporters. “So the television series would be through his eyes.”
He signaled how he envisions the story arc. “At the end of the first [season], the R.P. McMurphy, the Jack Nicholson, character would die. And then the second year would be what happens to the Chief after he escapes.”
Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick, William Redfield, Christopher Lloyd and Brad Dourif played supporting roles in the movie.
Zaentz didn’t mention a possible writer or studio partner or a potential network or streamer that the series could be made for.
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