Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is set to lead the upcoming Paramount+ series The Man Who Fell to Earth. Based on the Walter Tevis novel and Nicolas Roeg’s cult classic 1976 film starring David Bowie, the series will follow a new alien character, played by Ejiofor, who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future. The series will be co-written and executive produced by Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet.
“Chiwetel Ejiofor’s stage and film career are staggering in their bravery, commitment, and quality,” said Kurtzman and Lumet. “He’s everything we could imagine and a million things we can’t. We couldn’t be more thrilled.” The duo will also serve as co-showrunners alongside executive producer John Hlavin, with Kurtzman set to direct. Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Heather Kadin will also act as executive producers, and Aaron Baiers will co-executive produce.
This sounds cool. I wonder if they'll find a way to pay homage to Bowie in the upcoming series? They could name a character after him or perhaps feature some of his music in the show, either directly or as an instrumental alternative. After all, how do you remake The Man Who Fell to Earth without honoring Ziggy Stardust himself? We'll be watching this one very closely, and hope that it provides Ejiofor with yet another opportunity to share his out of this world acting abilities with audiences.