‘The Flintstones’ Reboot Put On Hold Due To Seth MacFarlane’s Overcrowded Schedule

[Brian Damage]

Seth MacFarlane is human! The A-list showrunner, who is juggling four series, a movie and a music career, has reached a mutual agreement with Fox, 20th Century Fox TV and Warner Bros. TV to put the high-profile reboot of The Flintstones on hold as his insane workload has not allowed him to give the project the needed attention. Reps for MacFarlane, the network and the studio confirmed the decision, declining further comment.

After two years of complex dealmaking between 20th TV, where MacFarlane is based, and WBTV, which has the rights to the classic Hanna-Barbera series, the new Flintstones was announced at Fox’s upfront presentation last May with a straight-to-series order to launch in 2013. MacFarlane had been the driver behind the project as for him it was a childhood dream-come-true — by his own admission, the very first cartoon character he drew at age 2 was Fred Flintstone. MacFarlane was to co-write The Flintstones reboot, a co-production between 20th TV and WBTV, with Dan Palladino (Gilmore Girls) and executive produce it with him and Kara Vallow (Family Guy). To meet the 2013 target premiere date, The Flintsones was supposed to start production last fall, something that proved impossible as MacFarlane had been hard at work on his feature directorial debut Ted, his three Fox animated shows and another series for the network, an updated version of Carl Sagan’s classic Cosmos. MacFarlane is still busy doing post-production on Ted, a live-action/CGI comedy, which he also co-wrote and is voicing the title character for. The film, starring Mark Wahlberg, produced by MRC and distributed by Universal, opens July 13.

http://www.deadline.com/tv/

[AKA]

What a bummer! I'm really looking forward to this. Hopefully it hasn't been pushed back too far.

[comedyfreak]

I was looking forward to it myself, his movie Ted looks hysterical and the bear sounds exactly like Peter Griffin only not as deep.

[MrCleveland]

What is the 4th Show Seth McFarlane is making?

[Tubehead]

much as i like theflisotne i don't think it bad idea espcillyi wont wach it if it going to be likefamily guy. i'll watch it few times i guess. i was more the jetsons fan i only liked peebles and bam bam

[PrettyinPink55]

I may be in the minority here, but I didn't think this was a good idea AT ALL. I was pretty upset when I heard he wanted to reboot it. Leave the classics alone, especially one of my all-time favorites!!
Also, I don't much care for Family Guy or its humor. I don't see The Flintstones translating into that kind of comedy.

[Brian Damage]

It took more than two years for 20th Century Fox TV to negotiate a deal with rival rights holder Warner Bros. for Seth MacFarlane to reboot The Flintstones.

But now that Fox has scrapped The Family Guy creator's effort for the planned 2013 series, an update of the classic 1960s cartoon is "on life support," according to one insider. Well-placed sources say the studio and network brass who read the script in early April were not thrilled, with Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly telling the creator of the Fox animated hits American Dad! and The Cleveland Show that he "likes it but doesn't love it."

Given the limited number of holes the network has to fill on its schedule and the high-profile nature of the property, Reilly needed to love the project to give the green light. So Reilly, with the backing of 20th Television and Warner Bros., told MacFarlane he could take another crack at the script or put it on the back burner, given that he already has three Fox animated series -- not to mention an upcoming science show, Cosmos; his feature directorial debut, Ted; and a budding music career -- on his plate. MacFarlane, 38, chose the latter option.

The ultimate decision, which a source indicates did not sit well with everyone who had been hired to work on Flintstones, led to at least six people being let go and co-writer Dan Palladino being paid out of his contract. (20th declined comment on the specific figure.)

One source suggests MacFarlane's camp will look to find replacement jobs for some of them on American Dad! when and if the series gets renewed in May.

Meanwhile, the Flintstones office space in Los Angeles' mid-Wilshire area has been cleared and will be subleased, with another Fox heavyweight, Ryan Seacrest, recently spotted taking a tour.

[Mr. Television]

It's probably for the best.

[PrettyinPink55]

I am so relieved to hear this. Leave The Flintstones alone!!!!

[AKA]

Many of you believe Seth MacFarlane would have bastardized the franchise, but nobody bastardized it better than Hanna and Barbera, themselves. Seriously, could MacFarlane's Flintstones have been any worse than what's below?

[hawkeye123]

I would love to see the Flinstones back.It is one of my fav cartoons of all time.But only if done in a tasteful way,Like the classic but in a newer setting.

[Mark Glicker]

Originally Posted by Brad

What a bummer! I'm really looking forward to this. Hopefully it hasn't been pushed back too far.

I concur.

[king of comedy]

Originally Posted by Mark Glicker

I concur.

I thought that Pebbles was hot as a teen. The Pebbles and Bam Bam Show wasn't bad and better than the last three. You can't keep Pebbles and Bam Bam as babies forever. It was nice to see a show not focusing so much on Fred and Barney for a change.

[MrCleveland]

It looks like this Flinstone Franchise may be released in the year Two Thousand and Never, the way things are going!

[angiefan]

now,that the clevealand show has been cancelled,i would loved to have seen pebbles and bam bam with brothers and sisters. i always wanted to see that.