The upcoming Snowpiercer TV show is shifting back to TNT after previously being moved to TBS. Following a different continuity than the film, the series is a long-form adaptation of the 2014 South Korean/Czech movie of the same name and comic book series set in a post-apocalyptic world where a man-made ice age has killed off all life on the planet except for the inhabitants of the titular train powered by a perpetual motion engine.
This is only the latest in a series of issues the production has suffered in its far from easy journey from big to small screen. The series was first optioned in November 2015 and ordered to pilot a year later, which was written by showrunner Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Emerald City) and directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Doctor Strange). A month after the pilot was picked up to series, Friedman left the production over creative differences and was replaced by Graeme Manson (Orphan Black). Derrickson followed Friedman a few months later when he refused to return to film “extreme reshoots” on the pilot, believing that the changes Manson asked of him ran counter to his vision for the show and that they would fundamentally alter its nature, and was replaced by British director James Hawes (Black Mirror, Penny Dreadful).
The news of Snowpiercer’s jump back to TNT comes courtesy of THR, after it was previously announced that the show was being moved from TNT to TBS as part of the latter’s planned shift away from its focus on comedy. Kevin Reilly, the chief content officer of both networks, explained the second move being a result of having seen the series as a whole and better understanding what audience it would appeal to, and believing that the move back to the initially planned network would allow it to perform best. The show is still scheduled to air in the second quarter of 2020, although an exact date is yet to be set.
Back in 2014, the Snowpiercer movie also suffered issues in receiving a US release. It was bought in 2012 by The Weinstein Company on the strength of its script and footage that was completed, before its profile was raised by the positive reception it continued to receive during its tour around numerous international film festivals. However, the now-disgraced Harvey Weinstein wanted to cut 20 minutes of footage to reduce the social commentary and bring the events more in line with a standard action movie, and also bookend the film with expository voiceovers, all of which director Bong Joon-ho refused. The end result was the film’s release in uncut form, but also a change in distributors that saw only a limited release in arthouse cinemas.
For once, the change to the show’s setup appears to be a decision based on network structure rather than the show’s myriad production woes. TNT and TBS are both owned by WarnerMedia Entertainment, so wherever it screens it will still be the same overall company reaping the benefits of any success. TBS is still continuing to show more drama, while some comedic unscripted game shows will be debuting on TNT, meaning the content differentiating the two networks is becoming increasingly blurred. For people who’ve been patiently waiting for the series, they’ll be happy wherever it debuts as long as they can finally see it.
