The Man Who Fell To Earth - What We Know So Far
A new adaptation of the sci-fi film "The Man Who Fell to Earth," which starred David Bowie in the lead role, is making its way to Showtime at some point soon. While the series has faced plenty of production challenges, reports are now coming in that the show has hit some critical milestones is finally getting ready to reveal its new take on the cult classic.
"The Man Who Fell to Earth" was first announced as a CBS All Access original production. Deadline provided further details shortly after that reveal, such as the project's origin point as a potential Hulu exclusive that moved to CBS All Access after negotiations fell through. The show would later be identified as Paramount+ project after CBS All Access rebranded, but that change was short-lived, as the sci-fi drama soon moved to Showtime, per Variety.
Now that the series has found the network that will ultimately share it with viewers, many sci-fi fans have begun to wonder what it will look like when it finally airs. Thankfully, the producers have given fans plenty of details about what to expect when the show arrives. Here is everything viewers need to know about the release date, cast, and plot of "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
When will The Man Who Fell to Earth be released?
After years of preproduction and uncertainty, "The Man Who Fell to Earth" seems to have finally made some real progress. While hasn't been an official release date announced yet, all signs indicate that the show will air on Showtime at some point in 2022.
One of the best indicators that the show will make its 2022 premiere date came from a Tweet from co-creator Alex Kurtzman, which documented the first day of filming for "The Man Who Fell to Earth" in May 2021. Considering that piece of information and the official Showtime listing for the program, which states that the show will premiere exclusively on the network in 2022, all that is left for fans to try and figure out is what sort of release window series will have.
Because the show began filming in the spring of 2021, Showtime might be shooting at a spring 2022 release date, giving the show about a year to finish post-production. However, taking into account the fact that "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is a significant sci-fi project with some big names attached, it may be more realistic for Showtime to wait until the second half of the year to launch the show, which would make a fall release more likely.
Who is in the cast of The Man Who Fell to Earth?
While specifics on when "The Man Who Fell to Earth" will arrive are still thin, the production has been quite forthcoming with who will be in the show.
In the lead role as "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is Chiwetel Ejiofor, who received an Oscar nomination for his appearance in "12 Years A Slave." Deadline notes that while Ejiofor plays the same role as the alien who visits Earth at a pivotal moment in human evolution as David Bowie did in the 1976 film of the same name, Ejiofor will play a "new alien character."
Ejiofor will be joined by Clarke Peters, who is best known for his portrayal of Lester Freaman on "The Wire," who will appear as Josiah Falls, a scientist who forms a bond with Ejiofor's character, per Deadline. Another Falls family member, Justin, will be played by Naomie Harris, who was also nominated for an Oscar for her work in "Moonlight," per Deadline. Opposing Ejofor's character and the Falls family is CIA agent Spencer Clay, played by Jimmi Simpson, who is obsessed with finding out the alien visitor's true identity.
Also appearing in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" are Rob Delaney and Sonya Cassidy as members of the Flood family, who Deadline notes are the leaders of the prominent tech company OriGen Industries. Rounding out the cast is Joana Ribeiro as Lisa Dominguez and Annelle Olaleye as Molly Falls, via Deadline.
What is the plot of The Man Who Fell to Earth?
While elements of the 1976 film version of "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and the 1963 novel of the same name will undoubtedly be present in the upcoming Showtime series, the new adaptation promises to be a thoroughly modern take on the source material.
One of the core plotlines of "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is that the titular Man is an alien who visits Earth to find a way to transfer much-needed resources from this planet to their own. In doing so, the Man uses his advanced scientific knowledge to introduce new technologies to Earth and becomes incredibly wealthy in the process.
In an interview with Deadline regarding the new approach to "The Man Who Fell to Earth," director Alex Kurtzman explained that he and co-writer Jenny Lumet were inspired by the impact tech entrepreneurs have on modern society. When discussing a new approach to the series, they thought back to "the incredible day 12 years ago when Steve Jobs got on stage and introduced the iPhone to the world, changing forever the way we communicate," and then wondered, "What if he was an alien?"
However, the series will find plenty of other dramatic events to explore, such as the pursuit of Ejiofor's character by the CIA and competition from rival technology company OriGen Industries. Fans of the classic sci-fi film will just have to wait to see how Showtime's new take on the story positions itself for a modern reimagining of the classic story.