The Birds: HBO Developing New Horror Series Starring Sarah Snook Based on Hitchcock Classic

The Birds Returns as HBO Develops New Horror Series Starring Sarah Snook

One of the most iconic horror stories in cinema history is preparing for another terrifying flight.

HBO is developing a new limited television series inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 horror classic The Birds, with Emmy Award-winning actress Sarah Snook attached to star and executive produce.

The project, which was initially revealed earlier in 2026, has now found a home at HBO after being presented to potential buyers by Universal Global Television.

Rather than simply recreating Hitchcock's original film, the adaptation will introduce a new setting, original characters and a murder mystery that becomes increasingly dangerous when nature itself turns against humanity.

The story will take place in modern-day Alaska, where an investigation into a suspicious death becomes entangled with a series of violent bird attacks.

Tom Spezialy, whose previous credits include Watchmen and The Leftovers, has written the pilot.

Although HBO has taken the project into development, a full series order has not yet been announced.

What Is HBO's New The Birds Series About?

The upcoming adaptation will follow Myra Massey, a travelling magistrate portrayed by Sarah Snook.

Myra returns to her isolated hometown in Alaska, accompanied by her young daughter, following a bitter custody dispute.

She also has another reason for returning.

A childhood friend has mysteriously disappeared, and Myra is determined to uncover what happened.

What initially appears to be a relatively straightforward investigation soon becomes considerably more disturbing.

The mystery involves a violent death, with evidence suggesting that a killer remains at large.

However, the danger is not limited to whoever may be responsible for the crime.

Without warning, birds begin attacking people across the community.

The attacks appear to be connected to the investigation, although the nature of that connection remains unknown.

As the violence escalates, Myra must protect her daughter while attempting to uncover the truth.

The premise combines a traditional murder mystery with the unsettling idea that the natural world has suddenly become hostile.

It is an interesting approach to a story that has frightened audiences for more than six decades.

How Will the New Series Differ From Hitchcock's Original?

Perhaps the most significant difference is the setting.

Alfred Hitchcock's original The Birds takes place in Bodega Bay, a coastal community in California.

The film follows Melanie Daniels, played by Tippi Hedren, whose visit to the town coincides with increasingly violent attacks by seemingly ordinary birds.

The new television adaptation moves the action thousands of miles north to Alaska.

This dramatically changes the environment in which the horror unfolds.

Instead of California's picturesque coastline, the series will feature an isolated northern community where geographical remoteness could make escaping danger considerably more difficult.

The contemporary setting also opens up different possibilities for how characters respond to the attacks.

Modern communication, emergency services and scientific knowledge could influence the way the community attempts to understand what is happening.

However, the most important change is the introduction of a central murder investigation.

Hitchcock's film famously avoided providing a definitive explanation for the birds' behaviour.

Whether the new adaptation will maintain that ambiguity remains to be seen.

The filmmakers have not revealed what causes the attacks or how they connect to the criminal investigation.

Sarah Snook Returns to HBO

Sarah Snook will lead the series as Myra Massey, marking another major television project for the Australian actress.

Snook is best known for portraying Siobhan "Shiv" Roy in HBO's critically acclaimed drama Succession.

Her performance earned widespread recognition, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

However, horror audiences may also recognise her from the Australian psychological horror film Run Rabbit Run.

Released in 2023, that film followed a fertility doctor whose young daughter's increasingly strange behaviour forces her to confront disturbing memories from her past.

Snook's experience portraying emotionally complex characters could make her a particularly interesting choice for The Birds.

Myra is not simply investigating a mysterious crime.

She is also a mother attempting to protect her child while dealing with the consequences of a difficult custody battle.

Those personal circumstances could give the supernatural threat an additional emotional dimension.

Snook will also serve as an executive producer, giving her a role behind the camera as well as on screen.

Who Is Writing the New The Birds Series?

Tom Spezialy has written the pilot and will serve as an executive producer.

Spezialy has worked on several major television productions, including HBO's Watchmen and The Leftovers.

Both series explored complex mysteries, emotional trauma and events that challenged their characters' understanding of reality.

Those themes could prove particularly relevant to The Birds.

The adaptation will need to balance its murder investigation with the escalating horror of the animal attacks.

It will also face the challenge of developing a premise originally associated with a feature film into a longer television narrative.

Spezialy's experience with character-driven mystery television makes his involvement noteworthy.

The Alaskan setting is another personal connection, as Spezialy comes from the state in which the new story takes place.

That background could help give the fictional community a distinctive identity.

The Producers Behind the Project

The series is being developed by Universal Global Television in association with HBO.

Heyday Television is also involved, with David Heyman and Danny Samit serving as executive producers.

Heyman is widely recognised for producing the Harry Potter film franchise.

He is also involved with HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter television adaptation.

Jennifer Gabler Rawlings of Omni Artists is another executive producer.

Universal Pictures produced Hitchcock's original 1963 film, while the rights to the underlying property involve Universal and the estate of author Daphne du Maurier.

The participation of these companies provides an established production framework for the adaptation.

However, the project remains in development, meaning additional decisions are still required before filming can begin.

The Birds Originally Began as a Daphne du Maurier Story

Although Alfred Hitchcock's film is the most famous version, The Birds originated as a short story by British author Daphne du Maurier.

First published in 1952, the story takes place in Cornwall, England.

It follows a farm worker named Nat Hocken as increasingly aggressive birds begin attacking humans.

As the attacks spread, Nat attempts to protect his family while society struggles to understand the terrifying events.

Hitchcock adapted the premise for his 1963 film, relocating the action to California and introducing different characters.

The movie became one of the director's most recognisable works.

Its terrifying sequences involving ordinary birds helped establish a distinctive form of natural horror.

Rather than relying on an invented monster, the story transforms familiar creatures into an unpredictable threat.

The lack of a clear explanation for their behaviour makes the premise especially disturbing.

HBO's adaptation will draw inspiration from both du Maurier's original story and Hitchcock's film.

That combination could allow the series to revisit the family-survival elements of the original fiction while introducing the new murder mystery.

Previous Attempts to Remake The Birds

This is not the first attempt to bring The Birds back to screens.

In 2007, a feature-film remake was announced with Naomi Watts attached to star and Martin Campbell associated with directing.

That version never entered production.

Another proposed adaptation emerged in 2017, when the BBC was linked to a television series based on du Maurier's original story.

Irish playwright Conor McPherson was attached to write that project.

However, it also failed to progress into a completed series.

The latest HBO development represents another attempt to revisit the property for a