TV
H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” Invading Television
French pay-TV powerhouse Canal Plus and Fox’s Europe and Africa arm are joining forces on a series adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic novel “The War of the Worlds”, reports Variety. The show will follow the classic alien-invasion story but set the action in the present day. The eight-part drama will start shooting this fall, with Studiocanal and Urban Myth Films on production duty.
The new adaptation was created and written by Howard Overman (“Merlin”). “In many ways, H.G. Wells’ novel is a cautionary tale of racial superiority and ethnic conflict,” he said. “It is these themes that I wanted to explore more fully in my modern re-imagining. I look forward to bringing our bold, fresh and relatable version, inspired by this much-loved story, to a new audience.’’
Canal Plus will run the show in France and French-speaking territories and Fox Networks Group across its extensive footprint in Europe and Africa. Studiocanal is selling the series internationally, and FNG has some second-window rights in its territories.
Variety notes that the production sets up dueling “War of the Worlds” projects. British pubcaster the BBC has a three-part adaptation in the works with Rafe Spall and Robert Carlyle. It has a period English setting, unlike the Fox-Canal Plus project announced Friday.
The spirit world collides with ours, unleashing supernatural threats in the official trailer for Netflix’s supernatural series “The East Palace”.
The new series premieres on July 17, 2026.
“The East Palace” hails from director Choi Jung-kyu (The Devil Judge) and writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jea-won (Son: The Guest). Production companies for the film include Showrunners and Imaginus.
Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, and Cho Seung-woo star.
The official synopsis reads: “When the crown prince is found dead in a pond, a chilling rumor paralyzes the palace: the pond spirit has returned to wipe out the King’s bloodline. The King (Cho Seung-woo) fiercely dismisses the killings as mere conspiracy, until his last remaining son, Prince Yeongan, collapses.
“Driven to desperation, the King secretly summons Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), who can traverse the Realm of Gwi and defeat them. To ensure his loyalty, the King pairs him with Saeng-gang (Roh Yoon-seo), a court lady born with the ability to hear spirits.
“Gu-cheon embarks on the life-or-death mission to destroy the spirit and lift the curse of the East Palace, or die within its walls. But as Gu-cheon hunts the spirit and Saeng-gang secretly spies on his every move, the two draw closer to the dark truth of the East Palace that lies beneath the pond.“
Watch the official trailer for the dark fantasy horror series below.
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