The magazine writes about the success formula “figure-driven thrillers”. when he announced that Netflix would make a series of AJ Quinnell’s Creasy novel series and put the new project in direct relation to the current successful format “The Night Agent”. Because both are just such figure-driven thrillers that are also based on new series.
In AJ Quinnell’s books, the first part is best known: “The Mercenary” or “Man On Fire”. The book has been made into a movie several times. In 1987 the thriller Man on Fire with Scott Glenn and Joe Pesci was released, but much more famous is the 2004 adaptation by Tony Scott, also titled Man on Fire, with Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. For the author of these lines, the stylistically unique revenge action is one of the best films in the genre. By the way, a year later there was an Indian remake (“Ek Ajnabee”).
Netflix’s Man On Fire: Not a remake, a re-adaptation
The Netflix series is unlikely to be a direct remake of the Scott classic. It will be a reworking of the series of novels it is based on, which Scott has changed a lot in some cases. Netflix takes on the first two of the five “Creasy” novels published between 1981 and 1996: “The Mercenary” aka “Man On Fire” and “The Track of the Mercenary” aka “The Perfect Kill – so the series will tell more about main character Creasy than the plot covered in Scott’s film. But the focus here is also on the former mercenary, who sees no point in life until he has to protect a young girl. But soon this leads him on a quest for revenge in which he shows no mercy.
Kyle Killen, who originally developed the current “Halo” series but left it, is responsible for the project. While the new Netflix series isn’t supposed to be a remake of the Scott movie, its Man On Fire rights holders are also on board, which could be a sign that at least elements of the grandiose revenge action starring Denzel Washington be transferred.
It is not yet known when Netflix’s Man On Fire series will be released. It will also be exciting who tries to fill in the great footsteps of Denzel Washington as the protagonist.