One of the greatest Western films of all time may be getting a new TV adaptation for a new generation of fans.
The Western never truly goes away as every few years comes a slew of movies and TV shows using the Old West as the backdrop. The success of Yellowstone has sparked this with several networks trying to capitalize on its success. That includes Prime Video as plans are underway for a new series based on the 1960 classic Western The Magnificent Seven.
Per Deadline, this eight-part drama will be written by Tim Kring, the writer/creator of Heroes and Touch. He’ll executive produce with Donald De Line, Lawrence Mirish and Bruce Kaufman with production set to begin in June 2026.
“Tim Kring is a master storyteller,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+ in a statement to Deadline. “Tim, Donald De Line, Larry Mirisch, and Bruce Kaufman have crafted a series that delivers the energy of a classic western, honors the legacy of the original film, and reasserts its timeless themes of the power of unity against oppression and flawed heroes finding redemption by helping those who can’t help themselves.”
The show should work thanks to how it adapts a landmark Western that’s already spawned a couple of remakes and still hailed as a top-level adventure!
What is The Magnificent Seven about?
The movie was an American remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece Seven Samurai. It told of a poor Mexican village beset by bandits led by a wild Eli Wallach. In desperation, the farmers hire a pack of gunslingers with unique backstories to defend them.
The movie was a hit, backed by one of the finest casts in Western film history: Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn and more. It inspired three sequels and a 2016 remake starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. That’s not counting the countless takes on the plotline, including the cult sci-fi film Battle Beyond the Stars or Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon.
The synopsis indicates the series will follow the same plotline with more insight to the Seven themselves and what drives them to take part in this mission.
“The reboot is set in the tumultuous 1880s American frontier. After a peaceful Quaker village is massacred by mercenaries working for a greedy and ruthless land baron trying to force them off the land he covets, seven gifted but flawed mercenaries are hired by the community to protect them from the land baron’s hired guns. But as the team embeds itself in the community, preparing to defend them against overwhelming odds, they are all forced to grapple with an essential question: is the use of violence acceptable to defend a people whose faith is based on non-violence? The series takes a deep dive into the stories behind each of the Seven; what’s at stake for them, and why they choose to take on this mission.”
This will actually be the second TV show based on the film, as a 1998-2000 TV series loosely used the concept with a good cast of Michael Biehn, Eric Close, Dale Midkiff, and Ron Perlman.
There’s no word yet on casting as it’s likely the show may play around with the concept with different characters (perhaps even a woman among the Seven). The eight episode length promises to balance the action with great drama and insight to each character’s journey. We may have to wait a while to see it but it'll be fun to watch The Magnificent Seven ride again.
The Magnificent Seven (1960) streaming on MGM+.