Credit: Netflix

Courtroom dramas come and go, but only some get a decent run. A few end up becoming proper classics, which people quote time and time again. And then you’ve got the OG Al Pachino starrer … And Justice for All.

More than 45 years after it was first released, people still talk about it. It became one of the defining films of Al Pacino’s entire career. That’s how massive it was. So when news broke that Netflix was developing a television adaptation of … And Justice for All, you’ve got to pay attention.

You see, Netflix just released a series version of the 2004 classic Man on Fire, which turned out to be a massive hit. After witnessing the instant success, Netflix might’ve made up its mind to experiment with more such classics.

Because let’s be honest here. Netflix isn’t digging up some forgotten film nobody’s thought about in thirty years. This is …And Justice for All. A film that picked up Oscar nominations while earning critical acclaim and secured its place among the most celebrated courtroom dramas Hollywood has ever produced.

But before we start looking at the new series, though, it’s worth going back to the beginning. Released in 1979 and directed by Norman Jewison, the film follows Arthur Kirkland, a Baltimore defence attorney who still believes the legal system can actually do what it’s supposed to do. Which sounds fair enough. The problem is, the legal system seems determined to test that belief every chance it gets.

Day after day, Arthur finds himself dealing with bureaucratic failures and officials who appear far more interested in protecting themselves than serving justice. Every corner he turns, there is another obstacle. Another compromise. A classic example of the hero getting tired of the system. Next, you know, Arthur is assigned to defend Judge Henry T. Fleming, a powerful figure accused of rape. And here is where the problem starts. Arthur can’t stand the fella.

As far as Arthur’s concerned, Fleming represents everything that is wrong with the system. He is arrogant. He is corrupt. He is exactly the sort of person Arthur has spent his career fighting against. Yet despite all of that, his job demands that he defend himself properly. And that’s where the film really sinks its teeth into you.

Because Arthur knows what the law requires. But he also knows what his conscience is screaming at him. Watching those two sides collide is when the story gets interesting.

The best part is that audiences absolutely responded to the film. It was made for around $4 million and went on to earn more than $33 million at the North American box office. It picked up Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for Pacino and Best Original Screenplay for Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson.

Now Netflix is hoping that the story can connect with a whole new audience. According to reports, the television adaptation is being written by Jeremy Miller and Dan Cohn, whose previous credits include Entourage, Ally McBeal, and Boston Public. Ross Fineman, who served as an executive producer on The Lincoln Lawyer, is also attached to the project.

And from the sound of things, they are not looking to reinvent the wheel. The official description suggests the series will focus on the same ideas that made the original stand out in the first place. Which, if we’re being honest, sounds just as relevant now as it did back in 1979.

Because the question is sitting at the centre of …And Justice for All never really went away. What happens when someone who genuinely believes in justice starts losing faith in the institutions responsible for delivering it? That’s not just a legal question. That’s a human one. It resonated with audiences back then. It still resonates now.

Netflix has the opportunity to explore that idea across an entire television series. The challenge, of course, is living up to a film that people still talk about nearly fifty years later. And that’s no small task, but looking at the revamp of Man on Fire, we are hopeful!