|
"Heroes" premiered on NBC in 2006 and featured an
ever-expanding global cast of characters that possessed hidden
superpowers, adopting a story-telling structure that mimicked
comic books.
"The first time around, we kind of set the bar for this kind of
show. But since then, there have been incredible shows," Greg
Grunberg, one of the original cast members, told Reuters at the
show's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Since the show, created by Tim Kring, was canceled in 2010
following a drop in viewership, caped and masked crusaders have
flooded pop culture, from the mass ensemble of "The Avengers" on
film to CW's "The Flash" and "Arrow."
The reboot, a 13-episode NBC miniseries premiering on Sept. 24,
will see original cast members join an ensemble of newcomers and
is expected to touch on real-world issues such as the
environment, corporate greed and technology.
"The world still need heroes. Even with a TV show, we can
definitely translate what's going on in the world," said Jimmy
Jean-Louis, who played a mysterious Haitian in the original
series.
The new show picks up a year after a terrorist attack has
decimated a Texas town, with officials blaming the event on
those with special powers. The heroes are forced into hiding and
reevaluate their relationships to the society around them as
they are feared and hunted by authorities and vigilantes.
"It's a very dark and different world for them," said original
cast member Jack Coleman, who plays Noah Bennett. "It's a
dangerous time and place. So the stakes are higher."
The miniseries model, steadily gaining popularity among
broadcast networks, was a welcome change for Kring, who said
crafting the first four seasons with 23 to 26 episodes in each
was extremely challenging.
With a beginning, middle and end for the miniseries, Kring
remains coy about whether the "Heroes" saga will continue.
"This show was always designed to be rare and special," he said.
"I think 'Heroes' would've always been better if it was more
rare and more special, and less about being on all the time."
(Reporting by Solarina Ho; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Cynthia
Osterman)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
|
