ABC has bought a project from Battlestar Galactica re-creator Ron Moore which readapts the 2001 film.
Named for the story by Geoffrey Chaucer – which was about two cousins fighting for the love of a woman – A Knight’s Tale is a strange amalgam of a historical fantasy and a rock opera.
Heath Ledger, in the role that made him a star, played a squire in 14th century England who decided to join a knights’ tournament, pretending to be a real knight, in an effort to win the tourney prize.
Of course, he falls in love with a girl, and turns into a real knight before the end. Throughout the tale, the characters occasionally stop to sing and dance along with modern rock songs.
That premise will carry into the series. Moore’s plan keeps the central plot, the squire pretending to be a knight, and the gimmick of the rock singing. It’ll be like a rocking, medieval Glee.
It’s not clear what part of the story will be serialized. It seems like it could either follow the squire through a longer period of pretending, having to constantly hide his identity while trying to win the girl, or it could try to continue after the end of the film. The now-knight doesn’t have to hide anymore, but has other adventures to go on, and injustices to fight.
Ron Moore had a hit on his hands when he re adapted the classic sci-fi serial Battlestar Galactica, but his original series Caprica was a commercial dud, and his following two shows never made it to the pilot stages.
Perhaps adapting is where his strength lay. BSG was an arguably lame old sci-fi, which Moore turned into one of the most compelling shows in the history of televised science fiction. Maybe he can do the same thing for a somewhat oddball historical fantasy.
