Life on Mars co-creator confirms show’s “boundary-pushing” future in new format

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Despite mysterious clues about what’s next for the popular sci-fi series Life on Mars, co-creator Matthew Graham has revealed that the show will continue as a new live stage production.

The popular show, which recently marked its 20th anniversary, centers on Sam Tyler, a police officer from Manchester played by John Simm. After a car crash, Sam mysteriously finds himself transported back to 1973.

I’m so excited! The original team behind Life on Mars – Graham, Ashley Pharoah, and Tony Jordan – are getting back together to write a stage play! They’re saying it’s going to really expand on the original show and reimagine everything we loved, and they’re working with Jamie Eastlake to make it all happen. It sounds amazing!

Graham said that he, Ashley, and Tony had lunch at a good Italian restaurant in London right before Christmas. They began talking about a potential project and what it might involve.

This project is a significant challenge for our team. While Ashley has experience writing for the stage, Tony and I haven’t, so we’ll all be learning a lot. However, we’re incredibly excited to adapt the show for the theater and explore new possibilities.

We’re still working out the specifics, but we plan to include many of the characters fans loved from the show. That seems like the right thing to do, really.

We haven’t even begun to think about casting yet. We’re not having those discussions right now. We’re really at the beginning stages – just figuring out the overall vision for the play: what it will be about, what the story is, and why we want to tell it. We’re still in the brainstorming phase.

Graham is worried about finding the right balance for the show’s humor, as the original series was known for being deliberately edgy and not always following typical political correctness.

Graham expressed optimism that the show would be well-received. He noted that audiences are increasingly aware of social issues and expect entertainment to be both funny and meaningful.

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It’s crucial this story doesn’t feel like just a celebration of past successes. I’m not sure exactly what the story will be yet, but it needs to offer a deeper purpose beyond simply revisiting familiar ‘Life on Mars’ themes. We’ll have to see how it develops to ensure it feels meaningful.

He acknowledged that times have changed significantly, even in just the past two decades, and that there’s been plenty of discussion about those changes. He also admitted feeling tired of the ongoing debate around political correctness, and wasn’t sure if people would still be interested in it. Ultimately, he said they’re still figuring out what they’ll do next.

Writing a play presents a fresh challenge for Graham, who admits it’s a bit intimidating, but he’s excited about the new creative possibilities it offers. He says he’s now envisioning a wider range of options for the project.

We don’t have a firm date for when the play will be in theaters, but Graham is already very excited and full of ideas for it.

We have a lot of exciting plans and are eager to deliver a truly immersive and entertaining experience for the audience. We’re aiming to push the limits of what’s possible.

“The ’70s will be alive and well in whichever theatres we are playing in!”

Life on Mars is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Louise Griffin

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor at TopMob, where she writes about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before joining TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-01-14 20:12