A&E has greenlit a remake of the classic 1970's miniseries Roots, network officials said Thursday.
History, A&E and Lifetime will air the reboot of the miniseries, which will include more material from Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga Of An American Family, according to A&E. The novel served as the basis for the original eight-part miniseries, which finished as one of the most-watched programs in television history.
Will Packer (Ride Along, Think Like A Man) will serve as executive producer with original Roots star LeVar Burton to serve as co-executive producer of the miniseries. The Wolper Organization – the company that produced the original – will produce the miniseries along with Mark Toberoff.
“Roots was a groundbreaking television milestone that has had an enduring effect on American culture. We are privileged to be stewards of this universal story and will undertake its retelling with extreme care,” said Dirk Hoogstra, executive vice president and general manager for History in a statement. “We are proud to bring this saga to fans of the original, as well as to a new generation that will experience this powerful and poignant tale for the first time. Audiences will once again feel the impact of Kunta Kinte’s indomitable spirit.”
