"Mr. Robot" creator Sam Esmail is developing a television miniseries based on Fritz Lang's 1927 expressionist sci-fi classic "Metropolis."

The project, which hails from Universal Cable Productions, is in its early stages. Citing unnamed sources, The Hollywood Reporter contends the miniseries isn't targeted to debut for another two to three years, suggesting the timing could coincide with the end of "Mr. Robot's" planned four- to five-season run.

The original film was set in a futuristic urban dystopia -- in the now not-so-distant 2026 -- where wealthy industrialists rule Metropolis from their high-rise towers and the poor workers toil to operate the underground machines that keep the city running. Against that backdrop,  the leisurely life enjoyed by the son of the city's master is upended when he meets a young woman from the working classes. Together they work to destroy the system that divides them.

Although "Metropolis" met with a mixed response upon its initial release, with critics praising its pioneering special effects while panning its story, the film later earned widespread acclaim.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the extent of Esmail's role in the miniseries is unknown. He apparently will take a nontraditional approach to the writers room, which is described as more of a "concept room," with just two to three writers concentrating less on scripts and more on how the film can be translated into the miniseries format.