Laurence Fishburne to star in ‘Roots’ remake

The famed 1970s television miniseries Roots is getting a modern reboot.

Laurence Fishburne has officially been cast to play author Alex Haley in the forthcoming A+E Network remake, executives announced Wednesday.

The miniseries, originally based on Haley’s book “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” centers around the family lineage of an African slave brought to the United States named Kunta Kinte.

Variety has noted that the latest adaptation will differ from the original, incorporating new carefully researched material and scholarship into the famed storyline.

The 1977 classic was a recipient of seven Emmy Awards, and remains the third highest watched telecast in American History – having drawn in over 100 million viewers.

The project will be simulcast on A&E, History and Lifetime networks in 2016.