One of the best Western movies ever is getting a remake

The show's makers have promised that it delivers the energy of a classic western while honouring the legacy of the original film.

The 1960 film, which itself is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, stars Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn and Horst Buchholz as a group of gunfighters in the American Old West.

The seven are hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a group of marauding bandits (led by Eli Wallach).

Directed by John Sturges (Bad Day at Black Rock), the '60s movie was a major commercial and critical hit.

It has already spawned three sequels, a '90s TV adaptation and a 2016 remake, the latter of which starred Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke.

Now, the streaming service MGM+ has greenlit a new eight-part TV series version of The Magnificent Seven from writer Tim Kring (Heroes).

The plot synopsis for the Western remake reads:

"Set in the tumultuous 1880s American frontier, The Magnificent Seven is a reimagining of the classic Western tale.

"After a peaceful Quaker village is massacred by mercenaries working for a greedy and ruthless land baron trying to force them off the land he covets, seven gifted but flawed mercenaries are hired by the community to protect them from the land baron’s hired guns.

"But as the team embeds itself in the community, preparing to defend them against overwhelming odds, they are all forced to grapple with an essential question: Is the use of violence acceptable to defend a people whose faith is based on non-violence?

"The series takes a deep dive into the stories behind each of the Seven; what’s at stake for them, and why they choose to take on this mission.

"Like the original, this updated take on the classic story explores themes of honour, sacrifice and redemption, focusing on morality, faith, and the cost of courage."

Michael Wright, head of MGM+. said in a statement that the series "delivers the energy of a classic western, honours the legacy of the original film, and reasserts its timeless themes of the power of unity against oppression and flawed heroes finding redemption by helping those who can’t help themselves.".

Production on the new version of The Magnificent Seven is targeted to begin in June 2026. A release date has not yet been set.