"Gidget" surfing back to film and TV! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-17-2010, 11:20 PM

Hollywood is looking to catch a new Gidget wave.

Pterodactyl Prods. and "300" producer Mark Canton are teaming up to bring the sun and surf icon back to film and TV for the first time in more than two decades and will update the Malibu heroine for the new millennium.

Pterodactyl's Barney Cohen, who wrote and exec produced the Showtime movie "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," inked a deal with licensor Gidget Worldwide to develop the property for the bigsceen and smallscreen. Kathryn Wallack, who wrote and exec produced "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" with Cohen, brought the property to Canton and Cohen.

As a lifestyle brand, Gidget has enjoyed something of a global revival in recent years, spanning apparel, accessories, sportswear, surfboards, bikes, skateboards and a Gidget Surf School.

Originally launched in a 1957 novel, Gidget spawned several movies, TV series and telefilms and launched the careers of Sandra Dee and Sally Field. "The New Gidget," which aired from 1987-88, marked the most recent screen outing for the can-do surfer girl.

"Gidget has always been such a strong symbol of girl power," said Canton. "With female surfing exploding across the globe, the time is right to bring her back in a major way."

Cohen says the new Gidget will tackle contemporary issues and will be aimed at teens, tweens and pre-tweens.

Pterodactyl was formed by Ivan Cohen, Barney Cohen and Aaron Peters to develop projects for film and television. The company is working with Canton to bring legendary cowboy Hopalong Cassidy to the bigscreen.

David Hopwood will oversee development of the Gidget projects for Canton's Atmosphere Entertainment.

Gidget Worldwide, led by Victor Valles, has expanded beyond surfing and made inroads into other active sports including wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, soccer, softball, bicycling and beach volleyball. The firm has developed more than 400 Gidget lines and events.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1

TeeVeeCloset · 05-18-2010, 11:40 AM

So what happened to Miley Cirus (heaven forbid) being cast as "Gidget" as posted a few months??? I know you only post these "press releases" or better know as PR & gossip, half of them are only ideas and never go past development, the only good thing that could come out of this is that maybe we will see a DVD release of "The New Gidget" but I still highly even doubt that.....interesting though, how the plan now seems to have moved back to television instead of a threatrical, if I read it right?

Still waiting for the now 10 year in development "I Dream Of Jeannie" threatrical....NOT!

05-17-2010, 11:20 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	"Gidget" surfing back to film and TV! Hollywood is looking to catch a new Gidget wave. Pterodactyl Prods. and "300" producer Mark Canton are teaming up to bring the sun and surf icon back to film and TV for the first time in more than two decades and will update the Malibu heroine for the new millennium. Pterodactyl's Barney Cohen, who wrote and exec produced the Showtime movie "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," inked a deal with licensor Gidget Worldwide to develop the property for the bigsceen and smallscreen. Kathryn Wallack, who wrote and exec produced "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" with Cohen, brought the property to Canton and Cohen. As a lifestyle brand, Gidget has enjoyed something of a global revival in recent years, spanning apparel, accessories, sportswear, surfboards, bikes, skateboards and a Gidget Surf School. Originally launched in a 1957 novel, Gidget spawned several movies, TV series and telefilms and launched the careers of Sandra Dee and Sally Field. "The New Gidget," which aired from 1987-88, marked the most recent screen outing for the can-do surfer girl. "Gidget has always been such a strong symbol of girl power," said Canton. "With female surfing exploding across the globe, the time is right to bring her back in a major way." Cohen says the new Gidget will tackle contemporary issues and will be aimed at teens, tweens and pre-tweens. Pterodactyl was formed by Ivan Cohen, Barney Cohen and Aaron Peters to develop projects for film and television. The company is working with Canton to bring legendary cowboy Hopalong Cassidy to the bigscreen. David Hopwood will oversee development of the Gidget projects for Canton's Atmosphere Entertainment. Gidget Worldwide, led by Victor Valles, has expanded beyond surfing and made inroads into other active sports including wakeboarding, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, soccer, softball, bicycling and beach volleyball. The firm has developed more than 400 Gidget lines and events. http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1
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05-18-2010, 11:40 AM	#2
TeeVeeCloset Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2003 Posts: 1,873	So what happened to Miley Cirus (heaven forbid) being cast as "Gidget" as posted a few months??? I know you only post these "press releases" or better know as PR & gossip, half of them are only ideas and never go past development, the only good thing that could come out of this is that maybe we will see a DVD release of "The New Gidget" but I still highly even doubt that.....interesting though, how the plan now seems to have moved back to television instead of a threatrical, if I read it right? Still waiting for the now 10 year in development "I Dream Of Jeannie" threatrical....NOT!
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