Seth MacFarlane to Update Carl Sagan’s Cosmos for FOX

LOS ANGELES: Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is teaming up with writer/producer Ann Druyan and astrophysicist Steven Soter for a 13-part docu-series based on Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, to premiere on FOX in 2013.

Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey sees MacFarlane working with Druyan and Soter, Sagan’s original collaborators, on the successor to the original series. The series will be hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and produced in conjunction with National Geographic Channel, which will air an encore of the episodes following their broadcast on FOX.

Cosmos, the original series, first aired in 1980. Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey tells the story of how human beings began to comprehend their place in space and time.

"Never more than at this moment in the modern era have we needed a profound reminder of the colossally important and exciting role that science, space exploration and the human quest for knowledge must continue to play in our development as a species," said MacFarlane. "We should be vigorously exploring the solar system by now, and who better to inspire us to get there than Ann Druyan, Steven Soter, Neil deGrasse Tyson and, of course, Carl Sagan."

"Carl believed that science belongs to all of us," added Druyan, Sagan’s widow. "He wanted to convey the thrill of its cosmic perspective to the widest possible audience. I wish I could tell Carl what Seth’s leadership on this new Cosmos has made possible. Besides, I know how much they would have liked each other."

"This is a golden opportunity to introduce Cosmos to a new generation," commented Kevin Reilly, the president of entertainment at Fox Broadcasting Company. "While admittedly on the periphery of our brand, we believe this can have the same massive cultural impact that the original series delivered, and we’re going to use all of our resources—on-air and company-wide—to help bring that to fruition."