Not many ‘70s films have aged as well as Polanski’s “Chinatown.” This was a fever dream of a noir, starring Jack Nicholson, that relied on atmosphere and tone while being driven by Robert Towne’s all-timer of a screenplay.
In 2019, Deadline reported quite the story. David Fincher had signed on with Netflix to co-write and direct a pilot script for a “Chinatown” prequel series. Making the deal even sweeter was the fact that he was co-writing with none other than Towne himself.
Ever since then, it’s been radio silence. We haven’t heard a peep about the project. That is, until today. In an interview with Variety, celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Chinatown,” Towne, who is now 90, gave a promising update. The scripts have been written and are ready to go.
“All I’m likely to say is yes, all the episodes have been written for Netflix,” Towne tells Variety. “Working with a force of nature like David Fincher, tho’ occasionally humbling, is never less than enlightening.”
The “Chinatown” prequel is said to focus on the early days of Jake Gittes, as he works in a town full of corruption and wealth. The series would also explore the relationship between a young Gittes and fellow officer Lou Escobar, played by Perry Lopez in the 1974 film.
For Towne, this could mark a return to the franchise that won him an Oscar in 1975 for Best Original Screenplay. He actually wrote the sequel to “Chinatown” in 1990, directed by Nicholson, titled “The Two Jakes.” However, it was ill-received, failing to match the same level of success as the original, and plans for a third film were scrapped.
Currently, Fincher’s next project over at Netflix is “Strangers,” his remake of Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train,” which was supposed to star Ben Affleck. He’s also rumored to be working on a U.S. remake of “Squid Game.”
Meanwhile, Towne hasn’t written a screenplay since 2006’s “Ask the Dust.” His last few projects before that one included “The Firm,” “Mission: Impossible” and “Mission: Impossible II.”
Ritchie and Statham have collaborated on six movies so far in their careers, so this will be lucky number seven. The others include “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” “Snatch,” and “Wrath of Man.”