A scene from Roland Emmerich's upcoming '2012'

Syfy have announced their intention to produce a new six-hour miniseries based on the doomsday prophecies that surround the Mayan calendar.

The newly branded channel will be teaming up with director/producer Bryan Singer (X-Men / X2 / Superman Returns) and producer Andrew Deane to make it happen.  Deane was an executive producer on the brilliant Masters of Science Fiction and Masters of Horror series.

“I have always been fascinated by the various myths and conspiracy theories surrounding the Mayan calendar,” Bryan Singer said. “It’s the most accurate calendar created by man, so accurate that many believe its origins may lie elsewhere. Regardless of what you believe, what is truly mysterious about this is that a number of cultures and religions, including Hinduism, all point toward a period of great upheaval which happens to coincide with the final month and year marked by the calendar. Our story will explore whether we are truly alone in the universe, and other related mysteries, all of which are set against the backdrop of an incredibly exciting and fast-paced adventure.”

The miniseries will be written by Michael Petroni (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Dawn Treader) and Michael Bond (Passengers).

Syfy describe the project as follows:

A thrilling action-adventure story blending scientific fact and myth with popular conspiracy theories centering on the Mayan calendar and what it predicts for mankind at its end date. With a feel of Da Vinci Code and National Treasure, it tells the story of a down-on-his-luck author/professor who goes on a worldwide adventure to uncover the mysteries surrounding the Mayan calendar and the potential apocalypse it seems to have predicted centuries ago. With an unlikely team, he races against time to prevent global catastrophe, and in doing so ultimately rediscovers his faith in humanity and himself.”

Whilst it would be easy to dismiss this move by Syfy given Roland Emmerich’s soon to be released 2012 blockbuster, I for one think it is a good move by the channel.  In my view there’ll be no shortage of interest in 2012 related disaster scenarios until after the Mayan Calendar clocks over on December 21, 2012.

No further details about the series are to hand.

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