The original sci-fi movie was based on Walter Tevis' 1963 novel of the same name.

According to Variety, the new TV series will "follow an alien who arrives on earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future."

Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek: Discovery, The Mummy, Transformers) and Jenny Lumet (The Mummy, Star Trek: Discovery) are writing and executive producing the series, which will be co-produced by CBS Television Studios and Tandem Productions.

Speaking about the new series, Kurtzman told Variety, "Some strings will connect to both the novel and the film but if you haven’t seen the film or haven’t read the novel, it’s fine. You’ll get to have an experience that’s entirely singular. If you have, you’ll have the benefit of understanding the history of the world that both of those things set up."

Lumet revealed that the series won't "duplicate or even chase" Bowie's iconic performance in the 1976 original film.

Both Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet hope the new series will air by the end of 2020.