Kevin Williamson risks taunting the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock with a Rear Window TV series

Putting a fresh spin on one of the greatest movies of all time can’t be an easy task, but Kevin Williamson is up for the challenge. Deadline reports that the Scream writer is developing a TV series reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and I can already hear the cries of sacrilege.

Based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story It Had to Be Murder, Rear Window starred Jimmy Stewart as a photographer in a wheelchair who spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend, played by Grace Kelly. To be fair, the iconic film was remade before with the 1998 made-for-TV movie starring Christopher Reeve. There’s also Disturbia, which was at least partially inspired by the Hitchcock film.

Kevin Williamson and his producer banner, Outerbanks Entertainment, finalized an overall deal with Universal Television in December, with the Rear Window series just one of four major projects he will be developing. There’s also The It Girl, based on the novel of the same name by Ruth Ware, which follows a woman on the search for answers a decade after the murder of her friend. Williamson will co-write the script with Sarah L. Thompson. Williamson is also writing The Waterfront, a family crime drama which follows a dysfunctional clan struggling to keep their crumbling fishing empire afloat. The fourth project is The Game, an adaptation of the David Fincher movie. Original screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris are adapting the project, which is still in internal development.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of the Universal Television family,” Williamson said. “When making television, it’s so important to have partners who believe, support and inspire you. In Universal Television I have found exactly that. I’m excited to be working with such an amazing team doing what I love to do.” Erin Underhill, President of Universal Television, added, “Kevin is a prolific and brilliant creator with a proven track record of producing iconic hits for both the big and small screen. He’s a trusted collaborator whose imagination is boundless and inspiring. We love our creative partnership with Kevin and his terrific team at Outerbanks. We think fans will love everything they are cooking up.“

The Rear Window TV series will obviously have to expand on the story, but there will be many hurdles to overcome if the project even wants to come close to the Hitchcock movie.