ABC is developing a sequel series to the 1998 Will Smith big-screen thriller “Enemy of the State,” TheWrap has learned.
The movie starred Smith as a lawyer targeted by a corrupt politician and the NSA after accidentally receiving evidence exposing a politically motivated crime. Smith is not attached to the TV project, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer is.
ABC Studios is teaming up with Jerry Bruckheimer Television to produce the series that has landed a pilot commitment, so far. Bruckheimer is executive producing along with Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reed and Morgan Foehl, who is writing the script.
The series will take place two decades after the original film when an idealistic female attorney must partner with an FBI agent to stop a global conspiracy exposed by an NSA spy being charged with leaking classified information.
Movies-to-TV have been a major trend in Hollywood as of late. Other big screen adaptations for the small screen include Fox’s “Lethal Weapon,” Amazon’s “Jack Ryan” and CW’s “The Lost Boys.”
The strategy has been hit and miss, with NBC’s “Parenthood” performing well enough to run for six seasons and FX’s “Fargo” racking up a number of Emmy nominations. Meanwhile, CBS’s “Rush Hour,” ABC’s “Uncle Buck” and Fox’s “Minority Report” were quickly canceled.