Myst is coming to TV.
Way back in 1993, a little developer called Cyan (now Cyan Worlds) released one of the first video games ever to be printed on CD-ROM. It would later be hailed as the title that defined CD-ROM games. Myst was a revelation of an adventure game, unlike anything that had come before. With no user interface and no instructions, the game deposited players onto a small island filled with puzzles and mysteries. Myst told its story in the way the player discovered this unique world and its history, not to mention all those puzzles.
Along with several sequels and a trio of surprisingly dense novels, a rich mythology unfolded about the race of people that preceded the world of Myst, the D'ni, and their remarkable "Linking Books," which could take you away to other worlds, or other realities.
Legendary TV & Digital Media, the television arm of Legendary Pictures, has announced a deal with Cyan Worlds to create a TV series based on the franchise. In addition, Legendary will develop a video game companion to the series, a la Syfy's Defiance.
"Cyan's goal in working with Legendary is not just to create a compelling TV drama but to develop a true transmedia product that will include a companion video game that extends the story across both media," said Cyan in a statement. "Seventy percent of tablet owners use their device while watching TV at least several times a week. Cyan sees the potential to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling to a new level."
So what will the show's story be about? Legendary hasn't disclosed this yet, but there's plenty to choose from. There's the story of the two battling brothers from the original game, the story of their despotic grandfather from Riven, or the vast history of the D'ni people from the novels. This is by far the part of the franchise with the most potential for TV or film, and in fact a film version was in the works for a while but has never materialized.
A TV series based on the novel Myst: The Book of Ti'ana would have a distinctly Game of Thrones kind of fantasy vibe, which could be what attracted Legendary to the project to begin with, given the success of Thrones.
But Cyan Worlds is known to be fiercely protective of its properties. The company famously pulled the plug on a comic book based on Myst when they were unsatisfied with how it turned out. Variety says that the game's original creators, Rand Miller (still CEO of Cyan) and Robyn Miller (who left Cyan in 1998) will be "creatively involved" with the series.
Where would such a show find its TV home? Cable would be the obvious choice, since cable networks are constantly on the prowl these days for original, unique dramas that stand out from the crowd. HBO and Starz both have high-profile fantasy shows now, so maybe Showtime will bite. Or perhaps even the current king-of-the-moment, Netflix?
Legendary owns the production rights to other video game franchises, including Dead Rising, Mass Effect, and the already-in-the-can Warcraft, which is due in early 2016.
