Remember The Avengers? It Was Cooler Than You Think | Retro TV Rewind

 Written By Ken Hulsey

The Avengers stands as a fascinating enigma in the realm of fantasy and science fiction television, a true testament to its evolution and lasting impact. Initially launched as a straightforward detective series, it featured the compelling duo of Dr. David Keel (Ian Hendry) and the charmingly quirky secret service agent John Steed (Patrick Macnee). Their mission? To seek justice for Keel’s sister, which cleverly frames the show's title—The Avengers. However, as time went on, this seemingly simple premise morphed into a dazzling spectacle inspired by the thrilling world of James Bond, complete with alternate realities, diabolical villains, and a rich tapestry of intrigue. 

Yes, I'd like to order the new Emma Peel tape, please. And do you have one where she kicks really high?

From Slash Film

Shane Black has worked with one kind of Avenger in Iron Man 3, but he may be setting his sights on a different Avengers team. The Nice Guys director, who is currently knee-deep in post-production on The Predator, has reportedly co-written a script for a TV reboot of the British 1960s spy series The Avengers. And to be fair, they had the name first.


In a career retrospective with The Dark Side Magazine (via ScreenRant), Black’s frequent writing partner Fred Dekker revealed that he and Black are working on a script for a TV reboot of the beloved 1960s spy series The Avengers for Warner Bros. Dekker said:

“It’s The Avengers, with John Steed and Emma Peel. We’re setting it in Britain in the 60’s, and our approach is The Ipcress File meets Doctor Who. At this moment, it’s my favorite thing we’re working on.”

The Avengers, which premiered in 1961, was part of the first wave of the 1960s spy TV series craze. The phenomenon was kicked off by the intense popularity of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and the films that followed it, which created a slew of imitators on both TV and film, including beloved series like Mission: Impossible, Get Smart, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Hell, even the Adam West Batman series took some cues from the espionage wave of the ’60s.

READ MORE