Syfy Plots ‘3001: The Final Odyssey’ Miniseries From Ridley Scott

Syfy is pushing further into the miniseries space.

The NBCUniversal-owned cable network announced Monday that it is adapting Arthur C. Clarke's novel 3001: The Final Odyssey into a miniseries.

First published in 1997, the book is the fourth in Clarke's Space Odyssey series and resolves the tale that was begun in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Starting with the discovery of Frank Poole's frozen body floating in space, 3001 explores complex characters with conflicting agendas, stunning visuals and dark thematic meditations on the final fate of all humankind.

Read more Syfy's Plan: More Space Operas, Less 'Sharknado'

The Odyssey series spanned more than 30 years, with the initial publication of 2001 in 1968. The first novel and Stanley Kubrick's legendary Oscar-winning feature were produced and released concurrently. 2001 and 2010 were the only of the four novels to be filmed. The Kubrick and Clarke estates will fully support 3001, Syfy says.   

Pirates of the Caribbean and Collateral's Stuart Beattie will pen the script for the Warner Horizon Television entry and exec produce alongside Scott Free's Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker. Clayton Krueger is on board as a co-EP.

3001 marks Syfy's second Clarke adaptation. The network is also in preproduction on Clarke's Childhood's End as a mini. Production begins this year.

For Syfy, 3001 comes as the cable network has zeroed in on getting back to its science-fiction roots a la Battlestar Galactica with series including Dominion, six-hour mini Ascension; 12 Monkeys; Olympus; Z Nation; The Expanse and Hunters.

For Scott Free, 3001 comes as the production company also produced minis including Discovery's first scripted entry Klondike, Nat Geo's Killing Kennedy and more.

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Lesley Goldberg