The Man Who Fell to Earth Series for CBS All Access

CBS All Access has ordered as an original series The Man Who Fell to Earth, based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the film that starred David Bowie.

The Man Who Fell to Earth will follow an alien who arrives on our planet at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future. Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet will write and executive produce and serve as co-showrunners alongside executive producer John Hlavin.

The series will be co-produced by CBS Television Studios and TANDEM Productions in association with Secret Hideout and Timberman/Beverly. STUDIOCANAL owns the rights for both Tevis’ book as well as the Nicolas Roeg film with Bowie.

“Walter Tevis’ visionary novel gave us a tech god Willy Wonka from another planet, brought to life by David Bowie’s legendary performance, that foretold Steve Jobs’ and Elon Musk’s impacts on our world,” said Kurtzman and Lumet. “The series will imagine the next step in our evolution, seen through the eyes of an alien who must learn what it means to become human, even as he fights for the survival of his species.”

“We are thrilled to add another iconic genre favorite to our lineup as we expand original programming on CBS All Access,” said Julie McNamara, executive VP of original content at CBS All Access. “We know this series will capture the soul and spirit of the source material and further push narrative boundaries in the capable hands of Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and the entire producing team.”

“I’ve been a fan of this extraordinary film starring David Bowie for years,” said David Stapf, president of CBS Television Studios. “While no one can ever hope to surpass Bowie, bringing the film to series will allow for an ongoing detailed and nuanced exploration of the concepts established in the novel.”

“Owning an iconic property like this is a privilege. Alex and Jenny’s voices take Tevis’ provocative vision of humanity and finds today’s pulse and relevance,” said Rola Bauer, executive producer and managing director of STUDIOCANAL TV.