Kenneth Johnson

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For "Slick", former WWF manager, see Ken Johnson.
Kenneth Johnson
Born October 26, 1942 (1942-10-26) (age 65)
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA
Occupation Television director
Television producer
Screenwriter
Years active 1968 – present
Official website

Kenneth Johnson (born 26 October 1942) is an American screenwriter, producer and director best known as the creator of the television series V and The Incredible Hulk. His creative efforts are almost entirely concentrated in the area of television science fiction.

A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Johnson is a graduate of the Carnegie Institute of Technology. His early TV work includes The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman and The Incredible Hulk. Johnson created the character of Jaime Sommers and the Bionic Woman series.

In 1983, he gained fame for writing and directing the original mini-series V, an allegorical tale of World War II with aliens substituting for Nazis. The mini-series aired on NBC.

In 1989, he created the television series Alien Nation based on the 1988 Alien Nation film of the same name.

In 1997, he wrote and directed the movie Steel, based on the DC comic book character Steel. It featured basketball player Shaquille O'Neal as John Henry Irons, the character's alter-ego.

In 2004, Johnson proposed to the networks a sequel to V but was asked to write a script for a remake instead. If successful, the remake could lead to a sequel.

In 2006, Johnson announced his completion of a four hour script for a new V mini series called V (The Second Generation). The story line will take place 20 years after the original mini-series, bypassing the second mini-series and weekly television series. He is currently trying to sell his project to a television network.

In 2007, Johnson's efforts are still focused on getting his V mini-series into production and on the air. Johnson has delivered his final draft of the manuscript for his novel of V The Second Generation to Tor Books. It was released on February 5, 2008.

In April 2008, although the process is still ongoing, details are being worked on, and nothing's been finalized, here's what Kenneth Johnson had to say about the future of V and V: The Second Generation:

"... since I own the motion picture rights to V, we’re in the process to do a remake of the original mini-series first as a theatrical feature, which I’m so jazzed about because it will give me an opportunity to really realize it and execute it in a way that was impossible to do back then. Then that will lead to the obvious sequel, because it is a franchise, and then we’ll get into The Second Generation and I'm hoping we’ll be able to do two movies, because there’s certainly enough material in the novel to warrant two separate sequels. That’s my goal at this point and that’s what we’re in the process of doing. I just literally came from a meeting, 15-20 minutes ago with a fellow in Beverly Hills who really says that we’re gonna do it."

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