Brian Damage
03-24-2007, 05:52 PM
Eddie Murphy is set to star in a fresh new big screeen remake of the "Fantasy Island" made famous in the 70's and early 80's by Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize.
Norbit writers, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, have been brought aboard for a re-write and Eddie Murphy is expected to play several roles in the film a la Nutty Proffesor and Norbit. No word on a director or any other cast members at this time.
Prior to the long-running original series, Fantasy Island was introduced to viewers in 1977 through two highly-rated made-for-television films in which Mr. Roarke and Tattoo played relatively minor roles. Airing from 1978 to 1984, the original series starred Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke, the enigmatic overseer of a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean (presumably near Hawaii) where people from all walks of life could come and live out their fantasies — for a price.
Roarke was known for his white suit and cultured demeanor, and he was initially accompanied by an energetic sidekick, Tattoo, played by the diminutive Hervé Villechaize, who ran up the main bell tower to ring the bell and shout "The plane! The plane!" to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. This line, shown at the beginning of the show's credits, became an unlikely catchphrase thanks to Villechaize's spirited delivery and French accent (he actually pronounced it, "De plane! De plane!"). In later seasons, he would come down to drive in his personal go cart, sized for him, and recklessly drive to join Roarke for the visitor reception while staff scramble to get out of his way.
Norbit writers, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, have been brought aboard for a re-write and Eddie Murphy is expected to play several roles in the film a la Nutty Proffesor and Norbit. No word on a director or any other cast members at this time.
Prior to the long-running original series, Fantasy Island was introduced to viewers in 1977 through two highly-rated made-for-television films in which Mr. Roarke and Tattoo played relatively minor roles. Airing from 1978 to 1984, the original series starred Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke, the enigmatic overseer of a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean (presumably near Hawaii) where people from all walks of life could come and live out their fantasies — for a price.
Roarke was known for his white suit and cultured demeanor, and he was initially accompanied by an energetic sidekick, Tattoo, played by the diminutive Hervé Villechaize, who ran up the main bell tower to ring the bell and shout "The plane! The plane!" to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. This line, shown at the beginning of the show's credits, became an unlikely catchphrase thanks to Villechaize's spirited delivery and French accent (he actually pronounced it, "De plane! De plane!"). In later seasons, he would come down to drive in his personal go cart, sized for him, and recklessly drive to join Roarke for the visitor reception while staff scramble to get out of his way.