The 4400 is a CBS science fiction television franchise created by René Echevarria and Scott Peters for the CBS Entertainment Group. The franchise originally started on the UPN Channel in 2004 but it was greenlighted by the USA Network with its own television adaption like the NCIS franchise spinoff JAG.
Premise of the franchise[]
The 4400[]
In the series' pilot episode, a ball of light deposits a group of 4400 people in the Cascade Range foothills near Mount Rainier, Washington in the United States. Each of the 4400 had disappeared in a beam of green light in 1946 or after. None of them have aged from the time of their disappearance. Confused and disoriented, they have no memories of what transpired prior to their return.
4400[]
Forty-four hundred people who vanished without a trace over the last century all make a sudden return, having not aged a single day and with no memory of what happened to them.
Television pilot[]
Main article: The 4400 (Pilot)
The premise of the pilot episode begins on March 3, 1946. A young girl, Maia Rutledge (Conchita Campbell) of Crescent City, California (USA), is with her parents in their car. Although it is raining outside, she persuades her parents to let her play nearby. Scott Peters, creator of The 4400, stated that The 4400 was loosely inspired by the events of 9/11. The reception of the "Pilot" became basic cable's most watched première, supplanting the pilot episode of The Dead Zone.
Main series[]
- Main article: The 4400 (television series)
The show was produced by Viacom Productions during season 1 and by Paramount Network Television during season 2, after the former was absorbed by the latter in 2005. PNT changed its name again in 2006 with the CBS/Viacom split. in association with Sky Television, Renegade 83 and American Zoetrope for USA Network in the United States and Sky One in the United Kingdom. The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, and it stars Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie. The series ran for four seasons from 2004 until its cancellation in 2007.
In the pilot episode, what was originally thought to be a comet deposits a group of exactly 4400 people at Highland Beach, in the Cascade Range foothills near Mount Rainier, Washington. Each of the 4400 had disappeared at various times starting from 1946 in a beam of white light. None of the 4400 have aged from the time of their disappearance. Confused and disoriented, they remember nothing of events occurring between the time of their disappearance and their return.
Reboot[]
- Main article: 4400 (The 4400)
In November 2018, it was announced that a reboot of The 4400 was in development at The CW. Taylor Elmore and Craig Sweeny, the latter of whom worked on the original series throughout its entire run as a writer and later as a supervising producer, would write and serve as executive producers of the "reimagined" series through their deals with the original series' producer, CBS Television Studios. Elmore would serve as showrunner should the project move forward.
In February 2019, it was reported that the project would roll over to the next development cycle to allow Elmore and Sweeny to finish the pilot script. In February 2021, The CW ordered the show straight-to-series for the Fall 2021 season. Riverdale co-executive producer Ariana Jackson and Anna Fricke will serve as showrunners. In March 2021, Joseph David-Jones and Khailah Johnson were cast as series regulars. In April 2021, Brittany Adebumola, Jaye Ladymore and Amarr Wooten joined the cast as series regulars. In May 2021, TL Thompson, Cory Jeacoma, Ireon Roach, Derrick A. King and Autumn Best were also cast. The series premiered on October 25, 2021. In May 2022, the series was canceled after one season.
Books[]
- The Vesuvius Prophecy, by Greg Cox, is the first book based on the series. It was released in June 2008. Set during the show's third season, the plot revolves around Maia's prophecy of the eruption of Mount Rainier.
- Wet Work, by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore, is the second original novel based on the series. Published in October 2008, it is set during the show's second season. Its plot concerns Tom and Diana's hunt for a rogue government assassin who uses her promicin powers to kill people.
- Welcome to Promise City, by Greg Cox, is the third book based on the series, and the first set after the events of the end of the series. It was published on July 28, 2009.
- Promises Broken, by David Mack, is the fourth book based on the series and the second set after the end of the show. It concludes most of the saga of the 4400, but it too ends on a cliffhanger. It was published on October 27, 2009.
External Links[]
