Gore Verbinski to Develop Supernatural Cop Show

Gore Verbinski to Develop Supernatural Cop Show

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Director Gore Verbinski is teaming up once again with his "Pirates of the Caribbean" writer Terry Rossio. This time, however, their project will be for the small screen.

Deadline reports that the pair are developing a potential television series called "Magical Law." The show would combine elements of the police procedural drama—think "Law and Order" or "CSI"—with supernatural storylines.

How is this different from "The X-Files," you ask? The twist is that in this series, the paranormal elements won’t be fringe ideas. "Magical Law" will take place in a reality where such otherwise bizarre occurrences are an accepted aspect of day-to-day life. The challenge for the protagonists won’t be to prove that strange beings exist--it will be dealing with the complicated process of finding and prosecuting them.

In all honesty, that sounds like a show that jumped the shark before it was even on the air, and if it were in less-qualified hands, no one could be blamed for writing it off as a ridiculous idea. However, Gore Verbinski is a skilled filmmaker who often works in the realm of the fantastic—he also directed "The Ring"—so this might be a project worth paying attention to. It’s not yet known how directly he will be involved in the show if it gets picked up, but it has been suggested that he will at least direct the pilot episode.

With that said, isn't it time that major TV networks focused on something other than cop shows? For every interesting experiment like "Lost," there are three new police dramas that poorly represent the work of law enforcement officers and district attorneys. Sure, some of them make for great television, but too many are forgettable and usually get cancelled after one season. "Magical Law" might hold on a little longer thanks to its supernatural slant, but there’s no guarantee that it will be a hit.