Robert Towne Drops Bombshell Update on David Fincher’s ‘Chinatown’ Prequel Series

It’s like Roman Polanski woke up one day and decided to bless the cinematic world with his exceptional film, “Chinatown.” The 1974 film undeniably is a synonym for classics, setting inspiration for generations. The iconic movie was the result of the collaboration of the creative legends. The neo-noir mystery film stars Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in the lead roles. The script of the film was penned by Robert Towne, who won the Oscar Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film.

In 2019, Deadline reported that David Fincher had signed on with Netflix to co-write and direct a pilot script for a “Chinatown” prequel series. The cherry on top of it was the fact that he was co-writing with none other than Towne himself.

But no news has been heard since then. However, to every fan’s delight, there is an update regarding the long-awaited project. The film recently completed 50 years, and on the auspicious day of its golden jubilee, Towne shared an update regarding Chinatown’s prequel during an interaction with Variety. The 90-year-old screenwriter shared that the scripts have been written and are ready to go.

What tea does Robert Towne have regarding the ‘Chinatown’ prequel?

Sharing an insight about the highly anticipated “Chinatown” prequel, Robert Towne told Variety, “All I’m likely to say is yes, all the episodes have been written for Netflix. Working with a force of nature like David Fincher, tho’ occasionally humbling, is never less than enlightening.”

It has been said that the “Chinatown” prequel will focus on Jake Gittes’s early days as he works in a town full of corruption and wealth. The series would also explore the relationship between a young Gittes and fellow officer Lou Escobar, played by Perry Lopez in the 1974 film.

Towne has been a part of “Chinatown” since its inception. He is not only attached to the upcoming prequel, but he also wrote the original film for which he won the Oscar, as well as its sequel part, directed by Nicholson, titled “The Two Jakes.” While the original movie was well received, both by critics and the audience, and was, in fact, an Oscars favorite, garnering 11 Oscar nominations, the sequel film failed to match the acclaim of its predecessor.

Now, with the upcoming prequel and Towne at his writing desk, it would be interesting to see if this new series can capture the magic of the original “Chinatown.”