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“How can we expect youth to behave as if they are descended from Kings, Queens and Noble Warriors if they are unaware it’s in their DNA?” That’s what film producer Will Packer (Ride Along, Think Like A Man) tweeted when speaking on his latest project, a remake of the iconic television miniseries Roots. Airing next year on A&E, Lifetime, and the History Channel, Packer called this remake “more than an opportunity, it’s a responsibility.” It’s one that he will share with Kunta Kinte himself, aka, LeVar Burton, who will co-executive produce the project along with producer Mark Wolper.
Roots is, of course, based on the 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots: The Saga Of An American Family, written by the late Alex Haley. A book that changed America, Time magazine referred to Roots as “one of the most important nonfiction books of the twentieth century.” It chronicles Haley’s descendants and their multi-generational journey: from Kunta Kinte being sold into slavery in the Gambia, to laying down Southern roots and building a family in the face of countless hardships, and eventual emancipation. The best-selling novel was translated into 37 languages. And when the miniseries premiered on ABC for eight consecutive nights in January of 1977, the response was overwhelming.
In an era void of DVR, Netflix, social media and the like, Roots drew an audience of nearly 100 million for the final episode alone. It was one of the most watched television series in American history, was nominated for a whopping 37 Emmy Awards (won 9), two Golden Globe awards (won for best TV series – drama), and numerous other awards. Roots spawned two sequels – Roots: The Next Generation, and Roots: The Gift. If that doesn’t give you a wide enough scope of its mass appeal and tremendous success, I don’t know what will. Simply put, Roots was a groundbreaking phenomenon.
We live in an age of sequels, prequels, and remakes – understandable given Hollywood’s thirst for built-in audiences and recognizable franchises that have already pulled in cold, hard cash. But do we really need another Roots? Its incredible history has already been made, several times over, and its legacy won’t be surpassed. What new lessons will we glean from a remake of a film that already taught us so much? How will this differ from recent slave narrative films like 12 Years A Slave or The Book of Negroes? I’m not suggesting any of these films said all there is to say about the evil institution of slavery and its lasting effects on American society, black families, and identity. But what about the countless stories in the Black diaspora we have yet to explore, stories that have not yet been given the kind of treatment Roots has?
At the very least, this remake, which has been in the works since 2013, will introduce the story to a contemporary generation. According to a press release, the remake will also include new research that has been conducted since Roots was first published. And just as the miniseries introduced a then unknown LeVar Burton to the world, this remake can also make a star of an up-and-coming or established talent. If I had to compile a list, John Boyega, Nate Parker, and Donald Glover, come to mind as potentials for the titular role of Kunta Kinte.
The retelling of Roots also has the potential to further the much-needed dialog about slavery’s role in American history, and how it feeds into many of the issues that still plague society as a whole. Perhaps this remake will dig even deeper than the original so that we can see it with different eyes and discover things we have yet to learn. At least, that is the hope and intention of Burton.
“I believe now is the right time to tell this story so that we can all be reminded of its impact on our culture and identity.”
Will you tune in when the new version of Roots hits screens in 2016? Or would you prefer that the original be left alone?
