HBO develops 'The Birds' limited series starring Sarah Snook
HBO is developing a limited series inspired by Hitchcock's 'The Birds' and Daphne du Maurier's story, with Sarah Snook starring. Tom Spezialy wrote the pilot, and David Heyman is among the executive producers.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2HBO is developing a limited series inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film The Birds and Daphne du Maurier's story, with Sarah Snook in the lead role, according to Deadline's exclusive, which Variety said it had confirmed. DeadlineN “EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-winning Succession star Sarah Snook is returning to HBO as the star of The Birds” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “HBO is developing a limited series take on “The Birds” with Sarah Snook in the lead role, Variety has confirmed.” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2The project had been taken out to the market by Universal Global Television (UGT) the previous summer. It had been in development at UGT and its predecessor UIS for more than a year, and HBO has now picked it up for development. DeadlineN “which was taken out by Universal Global Television this past summer, for development” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “The package was first reported to be on the market over the summer, with the project now landing at HBO.” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Tom Spezialy, who executive produced HBO's Watchmen and The Leftovers, wrote the pilot. David Heyman, who executive produces HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, and Danny Samit are executive producers through Heyday Television, Heyman's joint venture with UGT. Snook also executive produces, and UGT will be co-studio with HBO. DeadlineN “Spezialy and Snook executive produce alongside Heyman and Danny Samit via Heyday Television” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “Snook will executive produce in addition to starring.” Read at Variety ↗
Centre · 2Deadline described the series as a present-day reimagining set in Spezialy's home state of Alaska, with a murder mystery at its centre and a new female protagonist, Myra Massey (Snook). DeadlineN “set in Spezialy’s home state of Alaska with a murder mystery at the center and new characters” Read at Deadline ↗ Screen RantN “new female protagonist, Myra Massey, with the plot said to be set in Alaska” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Mixed · 2In the official logline, Myra escapes a bitter custody battle and returns home with her young daughter. She secretly probes a childhood friend's suspicious disappearance, and fights to protect her daughter from vicious bird attacks inexplicably tied to the crime. VarietyLC “Escaping a bitter custody battle, Myra Massey (Snook) returns home with her young daughter, secretly probing a childhood friend’s suspicious disappearance.” Read at Variety ↗ ColliderN “a woman who returns to her Alaskan hometown with her young daughter to investigate an old friend's disappearance” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Snook won an Emmy in 2023 for Shiv Roy on HBO's Succession and recently starred in UGT's Peacock limited series All Her Fault, which earned her another Emmy nomination. DeadlineN “Snook, who received three Emmy nominations for her role as Shiv Roy on HBO’s Succession, winning in 2023” Read at Deadline ↗
Centre · 2Deadline noted earlier attempts to revisit the property, including a feature remake announced in 2007 with Naomi Watts and a 2017 BBC series, neither of which was made. Collider put the project in the context of Hitchcock remakes such as Gus Van Sant's 1998 Psycho. DeadlineN “a feature remake announced in 2007 with Naomi Watts attached to star and Martin Campbell to direct, and a BBC series announced in 2017” Read at Deadline ↗ ColliderN “Most infamous is Gus Van Sant's 1998 remake of Psycho” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1The series is in development, which is not the same as a full series order, and no release date or other cast has been announced in the coverage. ColliderN “The Birds is in development. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.” Read at Collider ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Variety gives a brief, trade-style confirmation of the development news, with the logline and producer credits.
- Emphasis
- Snook leading, the logline, and the producers.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no history of earlier attempts and does not mention Alaska.
- Charged language
- “Reboot”
- For example
-
“HBO is developing a limited series take on “The Birds” with Sarah Snook in the lead role, Variety has confirmed.” — Variety
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Deadline broke the news in detail. Screen Rant and Collider relay it, with headlines that treat it as an official remake of a Hitchcock classic.
- Emphasis
- The Hitchcock legacy, Snook's Emmy pedigree, and the HBO ties of the producers. Collider adds remake history.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Screen Rant and Collider mention the development status only briefly or not at all. Neither covers UGT's co-studio role in detail.
- Charged language
- “Officially Releasing”“Most Terrifying Movie”“Officially Getting a HBO Remake”
- For example
-
“HBO is officially moving forward with a new series remake of a classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller” — Screen Rant
“Just in time for Halloween, one of Alfred Hitchcock's most iconic horror movies is getting a remake” — Collider
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- HBO is developing a limited series based on The Birds with Sarah Snook starring
- Tom Spezialy wrote the pilot and David Heyman is an executive producer
- Snook plays Myra Massey, a new female protagonist
Where accounts differ
-
Status of the project
- Left
- Variety says HBO is developing the series.
- Centre
- Screen Rant and Collider headlines say HBO is 'officially' releasing or getting a remake, though Collider's body says it is in development.
-
HBO is developing a limited series inspired by The Birds starring Sarah Snook.
Supported- Supports 2
- Variety, Deadline
- Reports 2
- Collider, Screen Rant
-
Tom Spezialy wrote the pilot and Snook, Spezialy and David Heyman are executive producers.
Supported- Supports 2
- Variety, Deadline
- Reports 2
- Collider, Screen Rant
Sarah Snook person
Stars as Myra Massey and executive produces; returning to HBO after Succession.
“Snook will executive produce in addition to starring.” — Variety
Left2 articles
-
‘The Birds’ Reboot: Sarah Snook to Lead HBO Limited Series Take on Hitchcock Classic
Neutral Brief confirmation of the development news.
-
Centre3 articles
-
Neutral Detailed scoop with credits and the history of earlier attempts.
-
HBO Officially Releasing New Series Remake Of Alfred Hitchcock’s 63-Year-Old Classic Thriller
Neutral Short rewrite of Deadline's scoop, framed as an official remake.
-
Alfred Hitchcock's Most Terrifying Movie Is Officially Getting a HBO Remake
Mixed Enthusiastic Halloween angle with remake history and a note of scepticism about Hitchcock remakes.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 27 Oct 18:38 First DeadlineN ‘The Birds’ Limited Series Starring Sarah Snook Lands At HBO For Development From Tom Spezialy, David Heyman & UGT
- 27 Oct 18:48 +9m Screen RantN HBO Officially Releasing New Series Remake Of Alfred Hitchcock’s 63-Year-Old Classic Thriller
- 27 Oct 19:01 +23m VarietyLC ‘The Birds’ Reboot: Sarah Snook to Lead HBO Limited Series Take on Hitchcock Classic
- 27 Oct 19:06 +28m ColliderN Alfred Hitchcock's Most Terrifying Movie Is Officially Getting a HBO Remake
- 27 Oct 19:29 +51m The Hollywood ReporterLC ‘The Birds’ Series With Sarah Snook in the Works at HBO
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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