NBC Retelling Jason And The Argonauts

NBC has picked up a script that retells the Greek mythology tale Jason and the Argonauts. The network won a bidding war for the story by Josh and Jonas Pate (Moonlight, Surface). The project is considered development, but there’s a penalty should NBC pass. Jason and the Argonauts is best known as the 1963 film that featured the stop-motion animation work of Ray Harryhausen.

If produced, NBC is considering shooting the entire project on green screen, meaning it would be a TV series that takes place on a ship at sea, but that doesn’t go near the water. Sci Fi Channel used the method to produce its new series Sanctuary. The ratings of period-piece adventure drama “Crusoe” on Friday could serve as a bellwether for the project’s chances. If picked up, this also wouldn’t be the network’s first Jason and the Argonauts project, in 2000, NBC aired an Argonauts miniseries during sweeps.