There has been talk about the possibility of a Greatest American Hero movie for years. However, it appears that things are actually now officially greenlit and production on the movie is set to begin in July (assuming there’s no actors strike that is).
The folks over at Moviehole give us this:
The casting breakdown for Hinkley says he’s “29-39, an all-around good guy, with boyish handsome good looks, smart, decent, honorable and resilient, Ralph is a high school history teacher in Tempe, Arizona, a bachelor who hasn’t yet found the right girl. Selected by a bunch of aliens as the perfect hero to champion the rights of humankind against an evil nemesis, Ralph gets a superhero suit and a rather gruff squire in the form of FBI agent Bill Maxwell – neither of which yield easily to his control. Stuck inside the suit while awaiting for a duel-to-the-death challenge from his sinister opponent, Harve Lundy, Ralph proves to be honest, upright, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent as he prepares himself to do or die, without losing his Eagle Scout-ish honor or his suit in the process. Oh, and he gets a girlfriend along the way.”
I’m not going to lie to you… I frigging LOVED this TV show when I was a little kid. It’s also one of the all time greatest TV Show theme songs EVER. Sing it with me: “Look at what’s happened to me-ee. I can’t believe it myself. Suddenly I’m up on top of the world. Should have been somebody else. Da da da da da… da… da da da da da BELEIVE IT OR NOT, I’M WALKING ON AIR. I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD FEEL SO FREE-EE-EE…” Oh yeah, good times. The movie itself will probably end up being forgettable… but I’m still pumped to see it.
Will Farrell should be Ralph Hinkley. He would be awesome in the role. I am so pumped for this movie. This use to be my all time favorite tv show.
i have them all on dvd and im not sure the last 3 are on them…dont think they are…if they are and i missed them,please dont shoot me
Yeah I have to admit I would one of the first in line to see this release if it makes it thru production. Bruce Campbell is a must for Maxwell and a Jen Connelly type would make a great Counselor. BUT why stop there! Lets at least make her hot like Kate Beckinsale or Rachel Weisz. :) As for Ralph, well its going to have to be someone not extremely well known. I’m afraid if the wilson brothers get a hold of it then it would fall just like similar “buddy” tv shows made into movies like Dukes of Hazzard. The original characters would make great cameos if the script was writen well. As in Maxwell being retired FBI and Ralph “passing the torch” so to speak. It’ll be fun regardless I guess. By the way does anyone know if the 3 unaired episodes make it on to the DVD set? I remember the talk years ago when the show got cancelled about the episodes that never aired. Wondered whatever happened to them.
I love the show and am excited/scared about the coming film. I loved the show as a kid and Got it on DVD just so I could watch it again, and was shocked at how legitimately good the series was. That’s the truely amazing and fantastic thing about it…and hope the film underplays the story’s sensational elements and doesn’t make it a slapstick characature like so many other films made from TV shows. This said, I do think Will Farrell COULD make an excellent Hinkley, he can act when he wants to (stranger than Fiction)perhaps less risky choices with serious acting chops would be John C. Reilly, or Edward Norton, I could really see either as processing the complex frustrations Hinkley faces, believable as being a tough,idealistic, underappreciated teacher/single parent, coming to terms with his superpowers. (with humor) I think both Campell, and Pare are excellent choices for Maxwell, They both have grit and could play right-wing tough guys, and as for Pam, there’s lot’s of beauties with talent, I just hope they keep her three dimensional, I kinda like the idea of the new red-headed agent from 24. Anyway,They need to keep it real,Yes, the original did have a certain cheese factor, and I’m sure the new one will also, but it worked because of the humanity of the characters, because of the stories, and because of the values…and I think America can use more idealistic heroes. The original had many cold-war themes, debated between Maxwell and Hinkley with their characteristic toughness and campassion. This could be brought up to date dealing with terrorism/civil liberties, a story along these lines could bring Pam’s legal skills into play also. I just hope they mantain integrity with all the choices they need to make, and keep in mind that it transcends all the genres it blends…It is a buddy movie, it is sci-fi, it is superhero, it is comedy, it is “Dangerous Minds” it is political intrigue, and it is for kids, (but doesn’t play down to them!) keep it PG! keep the jammies! (no latex) keep the song! (preferably remixed) (I like the Velveeta heroic horn/synth orchestrations also, but updated)
I’d like to conclude with this…Hinkley is a hero, because he is a regular guy, he’s educated, but’s still working class, he keeps a good outlook in spite of his circumstances/bafoonery, he believes in equality, justice, kindness and compassion, and he never gives in to his personal doubts, and mantains humility. The film should be an endorsement of these(American)virtues not be a mockery of them. (which cannot happen if it’s dumbed down)Ultimately it should play up to the “American Dream”… That in our own way we all can be heroes…
Jon Heder as the politically correct boy scout-ish Mr.H
That’s my vote.
I’ve seen every episode and even had a homemade costume! So I am the biggest GAH fan.
I hope they do a good job in the writing and don’t forget that the reason why people liked the show was because it was a good story with characters you cared about.
I understand that they want to cater to mainstream and may need to tweek it. But i hope they really pay attention to the making of the characters. In the original, they made Ralph “real” by showing that he is a man that has gone through a nasty divorce and is now battling for the custody of his child. What’s most important about this is that it solidified the idea that Ralph’s character had been to the “dog and pony show,” yet continues to be idealistic and honorable. I mean, why else would a hot babe like Pam ever be interested in a poor High School teacher! I’m not saying that they need to construct the character verbatim, but they should keep stuff like this in mind.
By the way if the Producers need any help with the writing, just let me know! Award winning writer of independent film, right here! Just hollar!
Peace
j
jon heder!!?? c’mon man….hinkley was a smart man not a goofball…can you imagine him even playing someone who was even married in the first place?
id like them to tweak it a little bit but not too much or it takes away the whole basis of the story…and as long as the “scenarios” arent far fetched then it should be sweet.
be cool if someone like michael bay does it in the way he has done t’formers….but obviously without the unbelievable storyline….thats the thing with this….it needs to be believable,obviuosly the whole alien/suit thing is not believable but the everything that revolves around that
think it will be good as long as they dont mess with the roles and true meaning of the show which was man’s everyday life with a suit thrown in to make it a little more complicated.
roles ive been thinkin of would be:
ralph: owen wilson or even luke wilson with a dye job/paul walker
pam: has to be jennifer connelly or if she cant do it then meagan fox/michelle monaghan.
bill: he’s a tough one but brad pitt or george clooney could easily pull it off…tend more towards clooney
I like the idea of the movie. I think they should still have Joey Scarbury do the theme song. I can’t imagine anyone else doing it as well as he did. It’s a classic!!
If anyone is casting reads this stuff…why not have Luke Wilson play Bill and Owen Wilson play Ralph….they aready fit the persona’s for the straight laced suit and the well intentioned screw up…..plus the idea of the brothers together in a film…just may work from a marketing stand point.
I’m glad someone is thinking about this possible movie. if I had a say, I think Brandon Fraiser (The Mummy, Journey to…Earth)is a good choice to play Hinkley. I would almost play him as a guy without self confidence, gets the suit, does his heroic deeds, and then finds that he’s the same with or without suit and gains his confidence, which helps him be a better hero. It’s campy, it’s funny, it’s human, it’s the Greatest American Hero.
Just to let people know – this “TGAH 2008” Web series is NOT official “GAH” cannon. It’s a fan created series, and not a product of SJC or Cannell Productions. Just wanted to clarify to discern between a legitimate movie being made and a fan series. ;)
It’s official! The Greatest American Web Series is comming out on July 4th!
http://www.tgah.com
Please, there is one person and one person only for this role and that’s Will Ferrell
(Type your comment here. Make sure you’ve read the commenting rules before doing so) I feel the perfect the man to play Bill maxwell should be
micheal pare’ not only does he look the part but it would be really cool
considering the two characters did not get along.
I think they should provide a nod to the original cast members. Maybe have Ralph and Bill in a “scenario” that ends up getting Bill hurt because Ralph is slowing down due to age. Then, the aliens bring Ralph and Bill out to the desert to hand over the suit to a new Hero. I like the Bruce Campbell casting for the new agent and maybe Owen Wilson (I heard a rumor) for the new Hero. Can’t you see Owen trying to break through a wall and going “Damn” like Mr. Katt used to do.
OUR SONG “LOMBARD STREET” SHOULD BE THE CLOSING CREDITS SONG FOR TGAH THE MOVIE!!!
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It’s great that the movie is going to be made. I’ve been waiting for twenty five years to see it happen. I would think Dane Cook as Ralph would work and bring in the audiance that have never seen the series. Rachel Leigh Cook as Pam and Micheal Pare as a FBI agent.
Bruce Campbell as Bill Maxwell. ‘Nuff said.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Katt played the role of the FBI agent? He is the right age.
William Katt also tried out for some movie called Star Wars..or Cosmic Battles, can’t recall the title.
Finally. I was watching one of the first episodes with my wife the other day and we both agreed that the concept is great. It’s a reluctant superhero that wants to spend time with his son. He doesn’t know how to use the suit, so the “origins” type of story that we enjoy is pretty much buildt in to the concept.
BTW: Did you notisce that William Katt is in that AvP rippoff called Alien vs. Hunter (2007)? 1.2 on IMDb.
He’s also in The Man from Earth (2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/ that got 8.3 on IMDb.
I too loved this show for its theme song. I remember being 9 and seeing Joey Scarbury performing it on Soild Gold. I was upset because I actually thought Ralph Hinkley/William Katt sang it!
One of the greatest theme songs ever! I remember calling into the local AM radio station with my sister after dinner and requesting that they play it (they almost always did).
Andy Samberg is an interesting casting suggestion. As long as he didn’t come off purely satirical throughout the whole movie, that could be a great choice.
This is was family fun time when I was a kid. I’d love to see a movie as long as they don’t try to change it too much.
better than the them song is the George Costanza redition on his answering machine,
Believe it or not, George isn’t at home.
Please leave a message at the beep.
I must be out, or I’d pick up the phone.
Where could I be?
Believe it or not, I’m not home!
This is great! Just ONE problem.
Why recast?
Hell, yeah, I’m serious. Think it over. Is it true or is it not true that the suit can be worn by anyone selected by the good aliens? Thus, in theory, they could have new characters, have the up to date timeline, everything. William Katt shows up as Ralph and helps the new suit wearer a tad; Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp) heads the FBI unit etc.
But y’know, if they are going this route, then so be it. Paul Walker, your agent is on the phone.
I loved this show when I was a kid. It will make for a fun flick. I think Andy Samberg from HotRod should play the lead.
wow, that theme song is better than I actually remembered it. Thanks for the nostalgia John. Not too many movies based on a clumsy superhero, so it can’t be all bad.
I know she played Betty in the ill-fated Ang Lee “Hulk” movie but Jennifer Connelly would be great for the Connie Selleca role of Ralph’s girlfriend! Woof–Uberman–Woof!!