SCI FI’s CBS Paramount “Revolution”

The NBC Universal owned SCI FI Channel has give the greenlight for a new CBS Paramount pilot titled “Revolution.” The new series will be penned and executive-produced by Ed Redlich, John Belucci and Simon West.

The announcement came this week from the New York offices of Mark Stern, executive vice president of original programming at SCI FI.

Much like our own revolution and the struggles of the American colonists, “Revolution” is the sweeping story of ‘New America,’ a distant colony on an Earth-like planet struggling for its independence from an increasingly hostile homeland.

“Revolution” is created and written by Ed Redlich (“Shark,” “Without a Trace”) and John Bellucci (“Jack and Bobby,” “Without a Trace”) who will both serve as executive producers along with executive producer Simon West (“Con Air,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “Keen Eddie”), and co-executive producer Jib Polhemus for Simon West Productions. The pilot from CBS
Paramount Network Television is slated to begin production in January 2008.

New America is a colony settled by the now-named ‘United State of America’ on a planet resembling our own, located 50 light years away. Echoing many contemporary issues and themes, it is a futuristic version of a new world’s passionate fight for freedom. The expansive
drama centers on the Hart family – one of the founding families of New America. Tom, a former military man turned industrialist, is the patriarch of the family facing great pressure from the government to increasingly tax the colonists already heavily burdened. His two sons have struggles of their own with one rebelling against his industrialist grandfather and the old America, the other more radical one heading toward revolution. His 16 year-old daughter is simply trying to find her way in this world. Add to this a new local Governor torn between her
allegiance to the colony and her desire for peace, and a young ambitious bureaucrat looking to bring the colony back under control.

“‘Revolution’ is a powerful drama with all of the key emotional elements,” said Mark Stern. “There are power struggles, love stories, rebellions, victories, great sacrifices plus thrills and action. Ultimately it’s a story of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and the heroes that emerge even in the most trying of times.”