Discovery Will Remake 'North and South'

Well, what’s old is new again. And what is the very old subject of the Civil War will come back to TV. Lionsgate will produce ‘North and South’ for Discovery, based on the 1985 miniseries. That series was based on John Jakes’ trilogy of novels of the same name. He will executive produce the series.

The 1985 miniseries featured big stars of the time. Patrick Swayze, James Read, Elizabeth Taylor, Kirstie Alley, Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, and Johnny Cash, all had roles in the series. ABC, who aired the original mini-series, re-aired the series again in 1994. It received several Golden Globe and Emmy Nominations.

As young men, George Hazard and Orry Main become acquaintances after attending U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Their families grow together and become close, but their two different ideals start to drive a wedge between the two families. Relationships between friends, siblings, and fathers are put to the test as they fight each other on the Civil War battlefields.

The timeline for the series spans from 1842 to 1866, allowing us to see the characters develop over the years. The original series allowed a progression over 15 episodes. There is no word yet on how long Discovery will run a new series.

The main draw to 1985’s ‘North and South’ was its casting of big name stars. No one has yet been attached to the new series, so we will have to wait and see if any big name stars sign on.

Who would be good choices for a star-studded remake of ‘North and South’?