Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1963 horror classic The Birds is getting a modern makeover, and Succession star Sarah Snook is heading back to HBO to lead the charge.
The Emmy-winning actress will star in a new limited series inspired by Hitchcock’s film and Daphne du Maurier’s original novella, with a brand-new setting, brand-new characters, and a brand-new murder mystery thrown into the mix.
According to Deadline, which broke the news on October 27, the project is currently in development, with Watchmen and The Leftovers executive producer Tom Spezialy writing the pilot. David Heyman, who is also producing HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, is attached as an executive producer.
Here is everything we know about the limited series so far.
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When will The Birds premiere?
HBO has not announced a premiere date or additional casting, and the series has yet to receive an official production green light.
What is The Birds about?
As per Deadline, the story is set in present-day Alaska, where the series will follow a woman named Myra Massey (Snook), a mother fleeing a bitter custody battle who returns to her hometown with her young daughter. While secretly investigating the suspicious disappearance of a childhood friend, Myra finds herself caught in a dangerous mystery involving a killer on the loose and a series of deadly bird attacks that appear connected to the crime.
This isn’t the first attempt to bring The Birds back to the screen. A proposed 2007 film remake starring Naomi Watts and a BBC television adaptation announced in 2017, but both versions failed to fly.
What is the original The Birds about?
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 natural horror film follows a wealthy San Francisco socialite (famously played by Tippi Hedren) whose visit to a sleepy coastal town in California is disrupted by the local bird population, who have taken to violently attacking the residents.
Who will star in The Birds?
At this time, only Sarah Snook is attached to star. Check back here for more updates.
Who is behind The Birds?
Tom Spezialy is writing the pilot and will executive produce for HBO. David Heyman will also executive produce along with Snook, Danny Samit, and Jennifer Gabler Rawlings. Universal Global Television and HBO will serve as co-studios.
