Legendary Western Movie Being Turned Into a TV Show

A star-studded 1960 Western classic is saddling up for a ride to the small screen.

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Cable network and streamer MGM+ announced that it has ordered a series adaptation of The Magnificent Seven, led by Heroes creator Tim Kring.

The Magnificent Seven, the 1960 film directed by John Sturges, was among several MGM/United Artists titles that Amazon identified for development following its acquisition of the classic studio.

The eight-part drama series is being written by Kring, who also created Fox’s Touch. He will executive produce alongside Donald De Line (Billy The Kid, another MGM+ western), Lawrence Mirisch, and Bruce Kaufman. The show will be produced by MGM+ Studios and MGM Television Studios and is scheduled to start production in June.

Set in the gritty 1880s American frontier, this reboot follows seven skilled but flawed mercenaries hired to protect a peaceful Quaker village from a ruthless land baron and his hired guns. As they prepare for an epic showdown, the group wrestles with a big question: can violence ever defend non-violence? Along the way, we uncover what drives each of the Seven—and what they’re really fighting for.

The Cast of ‘The Magnificent Seven’ TV Show Have Big Boots to Fill

Of course, the cast of this new TV version of the classic western film (which was also remade in 2016, starring heavy hitters like Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, and Chris Pratt) has some serious boots to fill.

The original 1960 The Magnificent Seven starred legends like Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and Yul Brynner. Brynner’s all-black outfit for his character, Chris Adams, was so iconic that he revived the look for his role in the sci-fi classic Westworld, which also recently had its own TV revival on HBO.

However, MGM+’s head honcho has faith in the TV show’s creative team.

“Tim Kring is a master storyteller,” head of MGM+ Michael Wright said. “Tim, Donald De Line, Larry Mirisch, and Bruce Kaufman have crafted a series that delivers the energy of a classic western, honors the legacy of the original film, and reasserts its timeless themes of the power of unity against oppression and flawed heroes finding redemption by helping those who can’t help themselves.” 

The Magnificent Seven will be available on MGM+ in the U.S., UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile.