Because it was finally proved that the irreplaceable William Shatner can be replaced, the previously untouchable roles of The Shat suddenly surface on the shopping list for studios doing adaptations of old TV shows.
And now TJ Hooker will be getting the big screen treatment.
Producer Heppe is gung-ho about the adaptation saying: “The series was the poster child for cop TV shows in the 1980s with great stunts, so we think there’s a fun movie to be made from it.” Chuck Russell, whose previous work includes The Mask and the less-than-stellar Eraser, is in talks to direct. Writers Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson are handling the script, which reportedly focuses on the relationship between the title character and his father.
I am convninced that adaptations of old TV shows is not a sign of a lack of creativity or originality in Hollywood. People who think that Hollywood has run out of ideas clearly don’t understand that money rules all of Hollywood. Its naive to think they do remakes and adaptations because they have nothing left.
Familiarity breeds interest, which breeds publicity – the lifeblood of film promotion.
I do however think that very often someone in Hollywood looks at an original script and sees the potential to tweak it slightly to tie it to the popularity of a familiar desserted franchise. Take for example, Starsky and Hutch. A very popular cop show. Someone pitches a buddy cop comedy script and then some exec gets a floating lightbulb dinging over their head and says “What if we just took this original script and change it slightly so it could be a Starsky and Hutch adaptation!!”
And lemmings around the board room table say “Yes, now THAT would sell!”
And very possibly, an original script that might never have seen the light of day about a “no-nonsense police sergeant” and his relationship with his father is suddenly applied to an adaptation of TJ Hooker. The TV Show dealt more with TJ demoting himself to Sergeant so that he could track down the men who murdered his partner, and his subsequent mentor role to his younger patrolman staff (Which included Heather Locklear). There never was an issue with his relationship with his father in the show, so this script is clearly something new and original to explore.
The real question is: Will Chris Pine be cast as Thomas James Hooker? Now THAT publicity angle would sell!
There is no need for a TJ Hooker movie. Hollywood needs to get creative. Hooker without Shatner is like Night Stalker without McGavin. It does not make sense and is not worth doing. Some actors personify their roles, and that is that. Would you reshoot Rio Lobo without Wayne? Of course you would not. Regardless, this is why I find myself using the net to view English movies that do not originate from the USA. Hollywood is asleep at the wheel.
And clearly you didn’t even read the post.
There is nothing uncreative about the proposed TJ Hooker movie. In fact it has little to do with TJ Hooker aside from being a cop show. They are using an original script and an original idea, just like most stuff in Hollywood is.
…or at least James Darren, but not Darren James (Seeley)…
anyway…
The only two thinks I remember about TJ Hooker was this brief scene of an ep where there was a crazy goofhead on a roof with a shotgun or something; The Shat and The Z-Med were in character, stopping an evil traffic violator when they spotted the crazy goofhead on the roof with the shotgun. They tell the driver to lay down on his seat as TJrolls down the window and uses the driver’s side door for a shield… I remember the dialog on what they ask the driver next because it was so lame it is burned into memory:
“Is the back door unlocked?”
“No”
“GO FOR IT ROMANO!”
Romano aka the Z-Med rushes to open the car’s back door and uses it as a shield from the goofhead with the shotgun on the roof of the building.
Sorry—I don’t remember what happened after that.
******
As to dusting TJ for a redo…
What in blazes?
What’s the matter, H’Wood?
Afraid of CHiPS?
Hunter?
I agree Septic. This will feel like every other cop film ever made.
A cop who does not play by the rules goes after crime while his commanding officer fights him on it and want him to go by the book mean while bad ass cop makes a mess of the city and his Captain gets really angry he gets suspended and goes drinking but has moment where he feels he can do this off the books. Oh no the bad guy is trouble now as the bad ass cop goes rogue to put a end to his business. Or maybe he has a partner who hates and joins up along side and by the end their best friends.
i bet the shat is already on the phone pitching his own cameo.
i have no idea who will go see this.
The Seeler knows!
ADRIAN ZMED!
Hmmm, it was a decent tv show in its day. I hardly think it is worth transitioning to big screen.