Reeve Will Play Lead In Updated Film

Christopher Reeve will star in a high-tech, updated version of the suspense classic “Rear Window,” ABC Entertainment President Jamie Tarses has announced. It will be the actor-director’s first lead acting role since his 1995 riding accident that left him a quadriplegic.

The two-hour TV movie will be a modernization of the Cornell Woolrich story of the same name, which inspired the acclaimed Alfred Hitchcock film. It starred James Stewart as a photographer - temporarily confined to a wheelchair because of a broken leg - who believes he has witnessed a murder from his apartment window.

In the new version, Reeves will play a paralyzed man, confined to a wheelchair, who witnesses a murder from his apartment window. His home will feature state-of-the-art, voice-activated devices that enable him to live with a measure of independence despite his disability.

“(Reeve) brings an amazing talent and a uniquely personal perspective to this role …,” said Tarses.