Summary
Rumors are circulating that Academy Award winner Christopher Nolan is looking to adapt the 1967 British television series,The Prisoner. This would markhis first adaptation since 2002’sInsomnia. However, theOppenheimerdirector may face one major problem if his proposedThe Prisoneradaptation really is his next project, since a key aspect ofThe Prisonerwas parodied 23 years ago in an episode ofThe Simpsons.
The Prisonerfollows an unnamed British intelligence agentwho resigns from his position, and who is swiftly abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village called “The Village.” Inhabitants of The Village are assigned numbers and are not allowed to leave. The unnamed man is designed as Number Six. The inhabitants are constantly monitored by high-tech security forces such as Rover, which is a white balloon-shaped automaton.The Prisonerhas all the ingredients to become a compelling paranoid thriller in Nolan’s hands. However, a major obstacle to the project is public perception of the story, thanks – in part – toThe Simpsons.
Christopher Nolan’s New Remake Has A Perfect Lead Role For 1 Actor He’s Not Worked With Since 2017
Christopher Nolan’s next movie is rumored to be a remake of The Prisoner, and this could give one of his frequent collaborators a perfect lead role.
Christopher Nolan’s The Prisoner Remake Would Need To Include The Iconic White Balloon
The Prisoner Has An Unconventional Villain
The Rover is a key aspect ofThe Prisonerbecause of its ability to incapacitate, capture, and even kill, when necessary, inhabitants of The Village. Although the vast and unexplainable abilities of the Rover throughout the series makes it a type of deus ex machina,its presence is ultimately important to Number Six’s quest to escape The Village. The Rover’s complete control over the inhabitants of the Village makes it Number Six’s primary enemy, especially as Number Six’s influence over The Village grows. Given this history, it’s impossible for any futureThe Prisonerproject to avoid including the strange device.
The Simpsons Ruined The Prisoner’s White Balloon 23 Years Ago
Unfortunately,The Simpsons’ parody ofThe Prisonerinadvertently proves that the Rover has lost much of its terrifying potential. In the episode “The Computer Wore Menace Shoes” (season 12, episode 6), Homer wakes up on the “Island,” but eventually escapes on a hand-made boat. While escaping, Homer bypasses an anti-escape orb —The Simpsons' version of Rover —by popping it with a fork. AlthoughThe Prisonerhas an impressive cultural legacy, this inherently silly moment has certainly undermined its initial impact.
The White Balloon Dilemma Proves How Difficult The Prisoner Would Be To Adapt
The Balloon Is Both Nonthreatening And Silly
The moment inThe Simpsonswhen Homer pops the white balloon with a fork is humorous because of its simplicity. There’s no reason why other people wouldn’t have escaped if the anti-escape orb could be destroyed so easily. As a result, any potential Nolan adaptation has a huge conundrum. On the one hand, the white Rover is an iconic piece of franchise lore (so much so that it was also included in the 2009 miniseries). On the other, any threat it once might have posed has been completely deflated by this simple gag.
On the one hand, the white Rover is an iconic piece of franchise lore (so much so that it was also included in the 2009 miniseries). On the other, any threat it once might have posed has been completely deflated by this simple gag.
As a fan of the original material, Nolan will likely want to stay true toThe Prisoner’s roots. In all likelihood, this means that he will face a difficult decision about how best to portray the story’s iconic original villain. Whatever approach he takes,The Simpsons' 23-year-old gag has made things much more difficult than it might have been.
