Iconic film and TV creatorKevin Williamsonhas set up shop at Universal Television in a deal that already has four projects in development, including a reimagining of the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic,Rear Window. Williamson is the mind behind box office hits such asScream, andI Know What You Did Last Summer, while his television successes includeDawson’s Creek,The Vampire Diaries, andThe Following. This will mark his first return to the small screen since his CBS All Access series,Tell Me a Story, ended in 2020.
According toDeadline, the deal was finalized in December for Williamson’s production company, Outerbanks Entertainment, to produce a number of shows for Universal. He said in a statement that he’s “thrilled” to be working with Universal Television, because it’s vital to have a team that supports creators. Check out his full statement below:
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of the Universal Television family. When making television, it’s so important to have partners who believe, support and inspire you. In Universal Television I have found exactly that. I’m excited to be working with such an amazing team doing what I love to do.”
Rear Window
While Williamson’s version ofRear Windowpromises to be a much anticipated release for Universal and its streaming arm, Peacock, this won’t be the first timethe classic Hitchcock filmhas made its way to television. A made-for-TV movie was released in 1998 that saw Christopher Reeve in the role of Jimmy Stewart, playing a paralyzed man who lives in a high-tech apartment building that witnesses a murder. The original film also served as the inspiration behind the 2007 psychological thrillerDistubria, which starred Shia LaBeouf.
Kevin Williamson Will Also Create a New Series
In addition to bringing his reimagining ofRear Windowto Peacock, the deal with Universal Television also sees Kevin Williamson creating an original series titledThe Waterfront. While major plot details are under wraps at this time, It’s reported that the series will take Williamson back to his North Carolina origins for a family crime drama that will focus on the dysfunctional Buckeye family struggling to hang on to their dilapidated fishing empire.
BesidesRear WindowandThe Waterfront, two other projects for Universal Television are currently in active development by Outerbanks Entertainment. They include Ruth Ware’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling book ‘The It Girl,’ which follows a woman a decade after her best friend’s murder in search of answers as to who really killed her,andThe Game, which is an updated take on the 1997 David Fincher film starring Michael Douglas.
Every Movie Written by Kevin Williamson, Ranked
The best way to describe Kevin Williamson is by deeming him the Wes Craven of slasher screenwriters.
As of right now, no other projects have been announced, and it is yet to be determined when production onRear Windowwill start. Williamson is currently in the writing phase of the process, and casting has yet to begin, so it’s likely viewers can expect a 2025 or 2026 release date. Due to their recent success adapting other popular IPs, includingTwisted Metal,andTed, coupled with the creative mind of Kevin Williamson, it’s safe to assume that Universal Television will want to get started sooner rather than later.
