Ebola virus series The Hot Zone coming to TV courtesy of Ridley Scott

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Director Ridley Scott continues to be a busy man, particularly with his latest ventures into old material, including the ALIEN/PROMETHEUS and BLADE RUNNER franchises. Now, he's jumping back into a lesser-known property; The Hot Zone, a TV limited series for Fox TV. Back in 1992, Scott was hired to direct CRISIS IN THE HOT ZONE, based on the novel "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston, which chronicled the initial outbreak of the Ebola virus. Producer Lynda Obst won a hard-fought auction for the novel rights and hired Jodie Foster for the lead with Robert Redford being "written in" to supply a strong male lead role. Both stars complained about their roles being diminished as it developed and eventually left the project, which quickly fell apart altogether.

Now that the Ebola virus is back in the headlines it seems like the perfect time to bring the project to light. Preston is writing a new article for the New Yorker about the current outbreak, which Scott and Obst plan to option and work into the series. The current plan for the show will span "…the history of the disease, including a 1989 incident in which primates at a quarantine facility in Virginia became infected with a mutated version of Ebola."

Scott may direct the first episode of the limited series, which is scripted by original screenwriter of CRISIS IN THE HOT ZONE, James V. Hart. Obst commented on the current fear of Ebola spreading, saying:

“I think it's the speed with which it kills that makes the disease so frightening. People hoped it would stay in some remote part of the world. But that's a fantasy in the modern world. The modern world makes us one big connected family.”

This is certainly much different than your average Lifetime movie-of-the-week, especially given the project's history and the creative talent involved. While some may see this as capitalizing on the current issue of Ebola, it's important to note the longevity of this project to get off the ground. With what's currently happening with the virus it may be the perfect time for something like this to come out, although it likely won't stop many from posting misinformation throughout every blog and social media site on the internet. Either way, it's an interesting development and not one I'd have expected Scott to tackle as he fills up his plate "Guillermo del Toro" style.

Scott's latest film, EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS is set for release on December 12, 2014.