MGM+ has greenlit an adaptation of Earth Abides, a new take on George R. Stewart’s sci-fi novel of the same name.
The six-episode limited series will star Alexander Ludwig (Vikings) as Ish; production will begin in Vancouver on April 8. Earth Abides is slated to premiere on MGM+ in late 2024.
When a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out. In the aftermath, as the great machine of civilization slowly and inexorably breaks down, only a few shattered survivors remain to struggle against the slide into extinction.
Ish is a brilliant but solitary young geologist living a semi-isolated life who awakens from a coma only to find that there is no one left alive but him. A plague of unprecedented virulence has swept the globe, and yes, there are a few scattered survivors, but there are no rules.
Created by showrunner Todd Komarnicki (Sully), the series comes from MGM+ Studios and executive producers Kearie Peak and Lighthouse Productions’ Michael Phillips and Juliana Maio.
“It’s very special to reintroduce Earth Abides to fans of George Stewart’s seminal work of science fiction, as well as to a new generation,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+ in a statement. “The story’s messages of humanity, hope, and compassion are as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.”
“It has been an unmitigated thrill to adapt such a seminal sci-fi work, and the themes illuminated by George Stewart 75 years ago could not be more meaningful and timelier for the world we are living in today,” said Komarnicki. “Despite the chaos and division that greets us every morning in the news, the truth remains that the way forward for society is through unity, compassion, forgiveness, understanding, and grace.”