Jordan Peele Explains Why He Got Invested In Rebooting The Twilight Zone

Jordan Peele

It has been a while since news broke that CBS would definitely be bringing The Twilight Zone back via a reboot executive produced by Jordan Peele. No stranger to television, Peele says he was hesitant to tackle the iconic series. So, how did he get past it? In a recent interview, Peele opened up about why he got invested in rebooting the series and how he moved past his initial reservations. Peele said:

I was terrified. Why would I ever jump into the most established, pristine shoes in all of the genre? I could rip Twilight Zone off and call it something different and not be compared to Rod Serling. So I stepped away from it. And then several months later I got another call. . . . The realization, for me, was that it was an opportunity to attempt to continue with Serling's mission. If we approach it without ego and sort of bow to Serling, that will hopefully suffice for our fellow Twilight Zone fans but also bring back a show that I think is needed right now. Because it's a show that has always helped us look at ourselves, hold a mirror up to society.

The new Twilight Zone will feature a presenter who introduces each episode, just as Rod Serling did on the original series. Along with explaining how he came to embrace taking on the reboot, Jordan Peele told Variety that he is considering being the show's presenter. He shared that he is reluctant to do the on-camera role due to his on-screen persona's connection to comedy, which he is concerned could compromise the work he has put into doing right by Serling's legacy.

While Jordan Peele's resume speaks for itself, his being such a fan of the original series is a definitive insight into the passion that will be helping bring the new series to life. With the news of Peele's reboot officially being underway breaking in late 2017, it should not be too much longer before fans get their first look at the new series. At least, fans are closer to it than they were this time, last year.

Said reboot is set to make its way to television via CBS' subscription streaming service CBS All Access. The original series and the first reboot both aired on CBS, while the second reboot was on UPN. So, it is returning to the CBS family by bowing on the eye network's streaming service.

It has been many years since the latest reboot premiered. It finished airing roughly 15 years ago in 2003. So, more than enough time has passed for there to be another take on the beloved series. Jordan Peele earned tremendous critical and box office success with Get Out. Along with the movie's numerous accolades, Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. So, there is every indication that Peele's involvement with The Twilight Zone reboot will deliver similar acclaim.

Jordan Peele is executive producing the series alongside Simon Kinberg and Marco Ramirez. There is no word on when The Twilight Zone reboot will premiere on CBS All Access. CinemaBlend will keep you posted though. If you need a show to tide you over until the reboot arrives, the original version of The Twilight Zone is currently available to stream in its entirety on Netflix.

For new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. Our guide to Amazon Prime's premiere schedule is available to peruse through next. For new television shows set to arrive this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.