Having gone through those other key stages of a classic title – sequels and a reboot – 1982 horror Poltergeist is approaching another. Never ones to let a recognizable name sit around in their library when they could be doing something with it, MGM/Amazon Studios are developing a TV series based on Tobe Hooper's scary classic. And yes, it's not lost on us that the company chose the day before Halloween to announce this.
The original film focused on the Freeling family, who move into a new home only to discover that it is infested with a horde of ghosts. After the spirits kidnap their young daughter, the Freelings work with a parapsychologist and a spiritual medium to free their daughter and escape the ghosts. It was a big success, earning $121 million worldwide, nabbing three Oscar nominations and spawning two sequels. Four-season series Poltergeist: The Legacy also spun off from it, though the only connection between the movie and the show is the concept of the Legacy, which helped retrieve Carol Ann Freeling in the first film.
Amblin television will be involved, since it produced the original film, with Steven Spielberg having come up with the story, co-written the screenplay, and produced it. There are no plot details available yet, beyond the fact the show will be set within the world of the movie.