Author A.J. Quinnell’s “Man On Fire” novels are now subject to television drama development for Netflix. New Regency Productions, Chernin Entertainment, and writer/exec producer Kyle Killen are crafting a new live-action octet-set series based on the literary works previously published in 1980.
As the series description notes: “Based on A.J. Quinnell’s book series, Man on Fire tells the story of John Creasy, a broken ex-mercenary on a mission to avenge the death of his only friend, while protecting his fallen comrade’s daughter from the forces that destroyed her family.”
Scott Glenn starred in the 1987 treatment from filmmaker Élie Chouraqui. 2004’s iteration would later star Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning from helmer Tony Scott who initially attempted to adapt a film version three years after the book’s publication. The film would be the second pairing for Scott and Washington following the hit success of naval thriller Crimson Tide, with the duo teaming a fifth and final time for 2010 disaster thriller, Unstoppable, before Scott’s untimely passing a few years later.
Killen (Fear Street: Part One – 1994, Halo) is exec producing Netflix’s Man On Fire along with Scott Pennington for Chapter 11. Also exec producing are Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Bill McGoldrick, and Juan Alfonso for Chernin Entertainment under their Netflix deal, in addition to Arnon Milchan (who produced both films), Yariv Milchan and Michael Schaefer for New Regency Productions which controls the rights to the IP and also produced and financed Scott’s film.
Lead pic: 20th Century Fox Pictures promo art
