Octavia Spencer will play Angela Lansbury's role in NBC's Murder, She Wrote reboot.

It's been over 16 years since the show went off the air. The network announced this week plans to revive it with a brand new cast and script.

She Wrote will be written by Alexandra Cunningham (Desperate Housewives) and will be produced by David Janollari (Sixfeet Under, American Family). Each episode will be an hour-long.

Spencer worked with NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt and Janollari in 2001 on The Chronicle. The actress spoke to Deadline about how she came to be involved in the NBC revival project.

"I've always considered myself an armchair detective and in a recent meeting with Bob Greenblatt, he asked me what type of character would be able to lure me to TV. Naturally, I said 'J.B. Fletcher' meets 'Colombo'... And here we are," she said. "I'm ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Dave Janollari again, and Alex Cunningham a brilliant writer who shares my love for all things mysterious and Angela Lansbury."

Cunningham also expressed her excitement about working on the project, revealing that she and Olivia were "crime buffs" and "amateur criminologists."

"Octavia and I are both huge true crime buffs, amateur criminologists, and fans of Angela Lansbury," she said. "To get the chance to reimagine Murder, She Wrote for a dynamic and multi-faceted actress like Octavia is a thrill and a pleasure." 

The original CBS show ran for 12 seasons and earned Lansbury 12 Emmy and 10 Golden Globe nominations.

Watch Lansbury speak about the show in an interview with the Archive of American Television:

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