Ian McKellen & Jim Caviezel in THE PRISONER remake. What does that mean for Chris Nolan?!?

By Matt Holmes /

In the near 23 months of Obsessed With Film's existence, there has only been one project that the most confident film-making working today - Christopher Nolan - had signed himself up for. It was way back in August 2006 and a certain remake of the classic Patrick McGoohan 60's t.v. show The Prisoner. And that was it, we heard nothing else since about either The Prisoner or Nolan's future plans. Until today, when Variety report (subsequent research leads me to believe this news is about 2 weeks old) that Nolan is gone from the t.v. remake.

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On board though are the legendary Ian McKellen (as Number Two) and Jimmy Caviezel (as Number Six). The program will debut next year in a distribution deal for Granada, ITV and AMC. Sky One were on board until they didn't agree with the casting of an American. For Caviezel - the man who was once deemed unsuitable to play Superman on screen after playing Jesus gets his first ever t.v. recurring role. For McKellen, it's his second stint on t.v. after a 10 episode run on Coronation Street.
Written and exec produced by Bill Gallagher, who wrote the BBC's six-ep crime mini "Conviction," the new "Prisoner" will follow a man (Caviezel) who wakes up in a town called the Village and is given the number six in place of his name. AMC's Christina Wayne (who will also exec produce) says that the show will pay homage to McGoohan's original version, but will also stand alone. The show's fan following has been abuzz about the remake since it was announced in 2006. While the original show worked as a metaphor for the paranoia of the Cold War, AMC says that the remake will reflect 21st stressors like constant surveillance and the conflict between liberty and security.
Wonder how a t.v. show might effect both McKellen's stage work and his role as Gandalf in THE HOBBIT? For those who have never seen anything from the original show it was nothing like Prison Break and it often delved into Lost territory with it's isolation and sci-fi elements. And where does this leave Nolan? He is sure keeping the cards close to his chest over what his next project will be!