‘Contagion’ Writer Scott Z. Burns On How The Pandemic Inspired The Creation Of Apple TV+’s ‘Extrapolations’ — Contenders TV
Extrapolations executive producers Dorothy Fortenberry, Michael Ellenberg and Scott Z. Burns, who also serves as creator, writer and director, joined Deadline’s Contenders TV event to talk about what went into creating a potentially fictitious and disastrous future Earth.
More from Deadline
Extrapolations drops viewers into 2037, where climate change has ravaged the planet. As fires scorch the Middle East and rising tides engulf sinking cities, world leaders, scientists and everyday citizens must figure out how to save what’s left of life on Earth. The series is told through eight interconnected stories exploring climate change’s devastating impact. Extrapolations stars Kit Harrington, Meryl Streep, Sienna Miller, Forest Whitaker and Marion Cotillard.
RELATED: The Contenders TV – Deadline’s Full Coverage
“When I was doing the research for Contagion, all of the scientists who I spoke to said the same thing,[that[ it wasn’t really a matter of if there was going to be another pandemic, it was just a matter of when,” Burns explained. “And obviously, I had no idea. They had no idea. But we had seen other viruses jump into the human population like SARS had already happened in [the early 2000s]. I think the similarity here [for Extrapolations] is that all the scientists we spoke to on this show said a slight variation; it’s not a matter of if we’re going to have climate change; we’re all living through it, especially here. It’s a question of at what point do we change our behavior so that we can stop the very worst of it, and that’s what sort of motivated me to write the show. A lot of it was written during the pandemic. And Michael was incredibly supportive. And then I was lucky enough to have Dorothy join us on this ride.”
RELATED: Contenders Television: 40 Panels Over Two Days Showcasing Buzziest Shows Of Awards Season
Check back Tuesday for the panel video.
Deadline Contenders Television is sponsored by Apple TV+, Coverfly, Eyepetizer, Final Draft, Los Siete Misterios, Michter’s, and Village Roadshow Entertainment. Partners include: Four Seasons Resort Maui, The American Pavilion, Julia Wong Designs and Pampring.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
