'MacGyver' getting revived as feature film - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-15-2009, 11:42 PM

New Line is using twine, bubble gum and a pencil to throw "MacGyver" into development as a feature film.

Raffaella De Laurentiis, daughter of Dino De Laurentiis, is producing through her Raffaella Prods. along with Martha De Laurentiis and series creator Lee Zlotoff.

Dino De Laurentiis is exec producing.

"MacGyver" was a science-oriented adventure series that ran from 1985-92 on ABC. Richard Dean Anderson, later of "Stargate: Atlantis" and "SG-1" fame, starred as an incredibly resourceful secret agent for the Phoenix Foundation who frequently would escape from dangerous situations with ingenious and lightning-quick engineering trickery.

Two telefilms starring Anderson aired in the years after the show's cancellation. The character eventually achieved enough cultural penetration to become a reference for anyone attempting to jury-rig a solution out of household items. "Saturday Night Live" took the concept to the next level with its spoofs "MacGruber," starring Will Forte.

No writer is attached, but the studio hopes to find a script that can acknowledge how the concept has staked a place into pop culture yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie.

"We think we're a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise," said New Line's Richard Brener, who will oversee with Sam Brown and Walter Hamada.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...95223f0ab4e6ea

catlover79 · 03-16-2009, 12:04 AM

To ME - Richard Dean Anderson will always be MacGyver. To each his own.

Marvo301 · 03-16-2009, 12:08 AM

I can't imagine who they could possibly cast that could possibly fill Richard Dean Anderson's shoes. i think some things are best left in the past.

MacLeaper · 09-16-2009, 12:14 PM

I've heard about this and the only way this will be a good movie is to have Richard Dean Anderson return in a serious role as MacGyver. (i.e. not a stupid parody, ala "The Brady Bunch" movies, "Starsky & Hutch", "Charlie's Angels", "The Dukes of Hazzard" and so many other great TV shows ruined by inane movie versions.)
For a good example of how to do this, see the Star Trek movies. Original cast from TV series continuing the storylines set in motion by the original show= great movies.
One other possible exception I would make is the "Mission: Impossible" movies. I like them as movies on their own. However, I don't know how true it really is to the TV series and I didn't like seeing Jim Phelps made to be a traitor after years of service to the IMF and the country in the first movie. So this is not necessarily a good example of making a good movie version of a TV show. This is a good example of making some pretty good movies (especially the third one) based on a TV show.
Anyway- keep RDA as MacGyver, maybe bring back Michael Des Barres as Murdoc, Bruce McGill as Jack Dalton and Teri Hatcher as Penny Parker and you have a pretty good MacGyver movie. Oh- and definitely Dalton James as Sam. And don't even try to replace Dana Elcar as Pete Thornton. If the writers can find a way to reference Pete and the Phoenix Foundation without necessarily killing off Pete's character, then that's cool. Otherwise, just don't bother.
Hopefully this will actually be good. We'll see.

03-15-2009, 11:42 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	'MacGyver' getting revived as feature film New Line is using twine, bubble gum and a pencil to throw "MacGyver" into development as a feature film. Raffaella De Laurentiis, daughter of Dino De Laurentiis, is producing through her Raffaella Prods. along with Martha De Laurentiis and series creator Lee Zlotoff. Dino De Laurentiis is exec producing. "MacGyver" was a science-oriented adventure series that ran from 1985-92 on ABC. Richard Dean Anderson, later of "Stargate: Atlantis" and "SG-1" fame, starred as an incredibly resourceful secret agent for the Phoenix Foundation who frequently would escape from dangerous situations with ingenious and lightning-quick engineering trickery. Two telefilms starring Anderson aired in the years after the show's cancellation. The character eventually achieved enough cultural penetration to become a reference for anyone attempting to jury-rig a solution out of household items. "Saturday Night Live" took the concept to the next level with its spoofs "MacGruber," starring Will Forte. No writer is attached, but the studio hopes to find a script that can acknowledge how the concept has staked a place into pop culture yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie. "We think we're a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise," said New Line's Richard Brener, who will oversee with Sam Brown and Walter Hamada. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...95223f0ab4e6ea
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03-16-2009, 12:04 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	To ME - Richard Dean Anderson will always be MacGyver. To each his own.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-16-2009, 12:08 AM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	I can't imagine who they could possibly cast that could possibly fill Richard Dean Anderson's shoes. i think some things are best left in the past.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

09-16-2009, 12:14 PM	#4
MacLeaper Child of the 80s Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2001 Posts: 3,355	I've heard about this and the only way this will be a good movie is to have Richard Dean Anderson return in a serious role as MacGyver. (i.e. not a stupid parody, ala "The Brady Bunch" movies, "Starsky & Hutch", "Charlie's Angels", "The Dukes of Hazzard" and so many other great TV shows ruined by inane movie versions.) For a good example of how to do this, see the Star Trek movies. Original cast from TV series continuing the storylines set in motion by the original show= great movies. One other possible exception I would make is the "Mission: Impossible" movies. I like them as movies on their own. However, I don't know how true it really is to the TV series and I didn't like seeing Jim Phelps made to be a traitor after years of service to the IMF and the country in the first movie. So this is not necessarily a good example of making a good movie version of a TV show. This is a good example of making some pretty good movies (especially the third one) based on a TV show. Anyway- keep RDA as MacGyver, maybe bring back Michael Des Barres as Murdoc, Bruce McGill as Jack Dalton and Teri Hatcher as Penny Parker and you have a pretty good MacGyver movie. Oh- and definitely Dalton James as Sam. And don't even try to replace Dana Elcar as Pete Thornton. If the writers can find a way to reference Pete and the Phoenix Foundation without necessarily killing off Pete's character, then that's cool. Otherwise, just don't bother. Hopefully this will actually be good. We'll see.
	__________________ "Oh boy!" - Dr. Sam Beckett "You can do anything you wanna do if you put your mind to it." - MacGyver "Have mercy!" - Uncle Jesse "Ha, I kill me!" - ALF "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No man comes to The Father but by Me."- Jesus Christ (John 14:6)