"Roots,"  the celebrated 1977 miniseries that become a cultural phenomenon, will return to television in a remake that will air next year on History, A&E and Lifetime.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Will Packer ("Ride Along") will executive produce alongside original star LeVar Burton.

Based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel, "Roots" tells the story of Kunta Kinte, a young Mandinka warrior in late 18th-century Gambia, West Africa, who's captured and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and those of his descendents. The original miniseries, which aired on ABC, earned 37 Emmy nominations and won nine, including best limited series.

Written by Lawrence Konner ("Boardwalk Empire"), Mark Rosenthal ("Mona Lisa Smile"), Alison McDonald ("Nurse Jackie") and Charles Murray ("Sons of Anarchy"), the remake is described as "an original, contemporary production" that pulls more material from Haley's novels and incorporates news scholarship.