Two Cities Television plans to develop a television reimagining of the 1969 war movie Army Of Shadows [1, 2].
The move signals a strategic pivot for the drama company as it seeks to leverage its current momentum. By adapting a niche indie property into a modern series, the company aims to scale its production profile and reach a wider audience through high-concept historical drama.
Michael Jackson, the boss of Two Cities Television, said the decision to pursue the project is driven by the current cultural climate. He said there is something in the zeitgeist [1]. This belief comes as the company assesses the success of its existing series, Backrooms [1, 2].
Army Of Shadows originally focused on the French resistance during World War II. While the source material is a niche indie film, Jackson said the story is suited for a contemporary television audience [2]. The development follows the success of Backrooms, which has provided the company with the confidence to take on more ambitious intellectual property [1].
The company is utilizing the success of its current slate to justify the risk of adapting older, less mainstream cinema. This approach allows the studio to bridge the gap between historical authenticity and modern storytelling, a balance required for prestige television in the current market [1, 2].
“"There’s something in the zeitgeist,"”
The decision to adapt a 1969 indie film suggests a growing trend in the television industry toward 'prestige mining,' where studios look to obscure but critically acclaimed cinema to find unique IP. By leveraging the success of Backrooms, Two Cities Television is attempting to transition from a standard production house to a curator of high-concept, historically grounded narratives.
