Behind the Reboot: Rosemary’s Baby airs on NBC Sunday & Thursday

While we’ve seen TV reboots of classics in the past (think The Shining and Carrie), NBC turns to Ira Levin’s iconic novel Rosemary’s Baby (on which the 1968 Roman Polanski film is based) for its two-part psychological thriller. Rosemary's Baby airs on NBC May 11 and May 15Rosemary’s Baby airs on NBC Sunday (May 11) and Thursday (May 15). The miniseries abandons the New York backdrop in favor of Paris and puts Avatar’s Zoe Saldana in the role Mia Farrow made famous, alongside Suit’s Patrick J. Adams. We caught up with David Stern, one of the executive producers, who shares his insights on making this a success.

On retelling a classic …
“James Wong and Scott Abbott really embraced the original, as well as the miniseries format, to write a script that is active and modern while still staying true to what makes the original story such a classic.”

On a storyline grounded in reality …
“What makes Ira Levin’s work stand the test of time is that he played on everyone’s most rational fears. … Agnieszka Holland [director of the miniseries], aside from making this a visually beautiful show, did an outstanding job of exploring human emotion and psychological drama, which was underscored by Zoe’s complex portrayal of a desperate woman who doesn’t know who she can trust. There are no big gimmicks or supernatural forces. I think scares grounded in reality are always scarier, and this is no exception. NBC and Lionsgate let us take chances in our storytelling and it really translates to a thrilling four hours.”

On changing settings from New York City to Paris …
“We still have them living in one of the most exclusive apartment buildings, but really we let Paris both enchant and scare the audience. Paris can be the most beautiful place on earth, as well as gothic and macabre, and I think audiences will experience Paris in a new way through the eyes of Rosemary.”

On four hours vs. just two …
“With the extended time, we really had a chance to build and explore the relationships between the characters and give the audience even more twists and turns. Giving a masterful filmmaker like Agnieszka Holland a canvas of four hours really allows for bold choices and the crafting of a layered story that may be tough to do in two hours.”

On those crazy pregnancy cravings …
“There is a scene that pays homage to both the book and Polanski’s film involving raw meat.”

Air Dates:
Rosemary’s Baby part 1 airs Sunday, May 11 at 9pm ET on NBC
Rosemary’s Baby part 2 airs Thursday, May 15 at 9pm ET on NBC