Cary Fukunaga and David Lowery are working on turning Joe Dante’s Explorers into a TV series

Joe Dante’s 1985 Explorers is a weird one for me. The film starred Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix and Jason Presson. It followed a boy obsessed with ’50s sci-fi aliens movies who has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind. He draws it for his inventor friend and with the help of a third pal, they end up building a spaceship.

I loved the first half of the film, with the boys working on the spaceship. It was fun, dramatic and had some great character touches. Then they ended up meeting the aliens and it all fell apart for me. It became a big tonal mess and it made me cringe.

While I am a big fan of Joe Dante’s work, this is one film I have no problem getting a remake.

Cary Fukunaga (True Detective, Maniac) and David Lowery (The Old Man and the Gun) are working on a TV show based on the film for Paramount Television. Fukunaga and Lowery will write the script and bible, and one of them will direct the pilot, according to Deadline.

There is definitely potential for some great TV with the basic set up. A long-form exploration of the kids going through the various discoveries could lead to some great moments and also tap into the Stranger Things fanbase.

The executive producers are Fukunaga and Hayden Kiessling of Parliament of Owls; Lowery, James Johnston and Toby Halbrooks of Sailer Bear Prods; and the movie’s screenwriter Erik Luke.

What are your thoughts on the original film? Am I alone in my view on it? How do you feel about A TV show based on the film?

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