Deadline reports that Sarah Snook (Succession) is set to star in a limited series based on The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock’s acclaimed film, which was itself loosely based on the short story by Daphne du Maurier.
The Birds TV Series
The limited series is described as a “visceral, present-day reimagining of Hitchcock’s classic set in Alaska with a murder mystery at the center and new characters, led by a new female protagonist, Myra Massey.“
Tom Spezialy (The Leftovers) is writing the project, which comes from Universal International Studios and Heyday Television. This has been in the works for a year. Last summer, Sue Gibbs, Head of Development at Heyday Television, said the series would not be adapting the Hitchcock movie. “We’re going back to the source material, the Daphne du Maurier novella and using that as inspiration,” she said. “And at its heart, it’s looking at when nature turns on you. Obviously, with climate change that is very timely.“
Deadline’s report has more details: “The Birds introduces traveling magistrate Myra Massey (Snook) as she returns to her isolated Alaskan hometown for a routine presumptive death hearing, expecting a simple cold case. Instead, she finds her childhood friend’s bullet-ridden body. When Myra is forced to step outside her role as judge to untangle the mystery, nature itself turns hostile with a wave of bird attacks. Now, Myra isn’t just trying to close a case, she’s fighting to survive in a place where death lurks in both the shadows and the skies.“
There have been several attempts to remake The Birds, but none have gotten off the ground.
Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds
The Hitchcock film was released in 1963. It starred Tippi Hedren (in her film debut), Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, and Suzanne Pleshette. It follows a wealthy San Francisco socialite who pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.
Although the film received mixed reviews upon release, it’s now regarded as one of Hitchcock’s best. I rewatched the film for the first time in years just a few months ago and loved it. The bird attack sequences are still incredibly effective, as is the eerie atmosphere. I also love that the attacks are left unexplained. A made-for-TV sequel, The Birds II: Land’s End, was released in 1994, but it was widely panned.
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