Prepare For The Return Of… MacGyver?
Mar 16, 2009 by Niall BrowneHollywood is currently going through a remake frenzy of old films and television shows like we’ve never seen before. And the latest show from a …
Hollywood is currently going through a remake frenzy of old films and television shows like we’ve never seen before. And the latest show from a bygone era to be given a cinematic make-over is MacGyver.
MacGyver starred Stargate‘s Richard Dean Anderson as an agent for the Phoenix Foundation who was able to get out of any scrape by using everyday objects as weapons.
The new feature is set up at Newline Cinema and it will be produced by Raffaella De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentis and Lee Zlotoff who created the original series.
The show ran from 1985 to 1992 on ABC and it was sort of like Indiana Jones meets James Bond meets The A-Team. It was fun for its day but it will be difficult to balance the shows easy going charm and farfetched gadgetry with today’s Bourne style ferocity.
New Line’s Richard Brener said:
“We think we’re a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise.”
I’m sure a global franchise is what they want – but apart from Mission: Impossible no television remake has spawned a successful movie series. Wild Wild West, Miami Vice, Starsky and Hutch and The Saint were all transferred to the big screen without making a lasting impact. Meanwhile The A-Team and Magnum PI are in development, but filmmakers appear to be finding it difficult to get the ingredients right.
Last summer our own Vic Holtreman spoke to Richard Dean Anderson about the possibility of returning to the role in a new movie. He stated that he HAD been approached a while ago, but he thinks that the character is best left behind and was a great fit for the time period in which it aired. He also joked about the mullet he wore back then and he said he didn’t think he could even grow it back if he tried.
As no cast, director or writer are attached to MacGyver it would appear to be a film that is a good few years away, but it isn’t too early to ask the question - who would you like to see as MacGyver? And do you think this is even a good idea?
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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As much as I loved MacGyver growing up (It was must-see TV for me before the phrase was coined.), I can’t see it doing well now. The one theme I think would find traction today was that he never, ever used a gun. But, I’m sure many an enterprising boy or girl tried the tricks he did on TV to get out of tough spots and I’d bet they’ll try again if this does come out as a movie.
I think it was Richard Dean Anderson’s role, and it would just be too weird to see anyone else doing it. But even with RDA I’m not sure how good this would be now. It would probably be fun to watch, but doubt it will plant its feet into some successful franchise film.
Oh and I liked Starsky and Hutch, lol.
Starsky and Hutch…yikes…Never watched MacGyver so can’t say if a modernized translation to film would be appealing to the masses..
Apparently nothing is sacred in the endless pursuit of box office cash. Richard Dean Anderson IS McGyver, period. The show neither needs an update, a new twist, nor a new star. What’s next? A Big Screen new adaptation of The Lucille Ball Show?
“A Big Screen new adaptation of The Lucille Ball Show?”
Don’t give them any ideas.
@ Niall
“Meanwhile The A-Team and Magnum PI are in development, but filmmakers appear to be finding it difficult to get the ingredients right.”
I think of these remakes from the point of view of the world before and after 911 and before and after the internet..
Trying to adapt these concepts from a different era is difficult because some of these shows IMO can’t be adapted to make them popular with today’s audiences because the world has changed too much…I think the A-Team is just a bad idea and I loved the show..but I was 10-13 years old and I simply had bad taste then(still do when it comes to certain things)..it hasn’t aged well at all…like the Six Million Dollar Man, Simon & Simon, Matt Huston, Fall Guy, TJ Hooker to name a few more…Some things are better left as celluloid history I guess..
@ blipvert
Wasn’t that done by Weird AL Yankovic in the 80′s and called Hey Ricky…I remeber the video on MTV
oooohhhhh luceeeeeee !!
As much as I (still) love MacGyver, I can hardly imagine someone else than RDA in the role.
Would the concept work nowadays?
Hell yeah … watch BURN NOTICE, for crying out loud. (Really … DO IT!)
If they cast a really sympathetic guy with the right looks and keep the inventing great stuff from trash formula … I can’t see it NOT work.
But as Hollywood movies go … we will end up with Jack Black or Will Ferrell playing a fricking idiot MacGyver that constantly blows himself up and has a “hot” sidekick.
Great.
Not.
Magnum PI would suck without Tom Selleck. But personally I think there is something more important for Mr. Selleck to do than acting at this moment…
@ David Hasselbach:
“But as Hollywood movies go … we will end up with Jack Black or Will Ferrell playing a fricking idiot MacGyver that constantly blows himself up and has a “hot” sidekick.”
As someone else said earlier to another post, don’t give them any ideas please!
Plus, I think T is right RDA was MacGyver and I can’t imagine anyone else in that role.
@ T:
Oh, I’m sure they’ll do the Airwolf remake before the new Lucy.
I could actually sit through an Airwolf movie.
Six million dollar man would make a great movie. Although six million dollars wouldn’t do much today. They’d probably make it a Will Ferrel crapfest too.
Weren’t they considering doing a Six Million Dollar Man movie about 7-8 years ago as a comedy with Jim Carrey attached..I’m sure I read that somewhere..It’s one of my FAVORITES from that era and it could be done very well with a tech update like giving the character an AI brain and nanotechnology used to graft carbon fiber bones and muscles (for super strength) etc to update the concept…It would be very easy to do from a tech point of view..for a movie I mean
As Wes said though, 6 Million wouldn’t go very far today. He’d just have a very fancy foot.
I don’t really care to much about it however I think it’s possible to pull off. I’m more concerned about a remake of Magnum PI how can you even make that? No one can be in that role other than Tom Sellek.
MacGyver was so 80s, like the A-Team. Action without injury. Fun but would probably seem too lame now.
I’m sure there would be complaints about a MacGyver show these days – showing everyone how to make bombs and traps from everyday objects.
Imagine if Al Qeada got a hold of those old tapes!
I don’t see how a new MacGyver movie would appeal to enough people to make it a success.
Forget the chewing gum and the paper clip and get the writer FIRST!
No! Hollywood has ruined too many of my favorite franchises with crappy b-movies!
While I never saw MacGyver when it originally aired, I’ve since become a big fan of the show and own the first 5 seasons on DVD. I agree with RDA, it was a great show when it was made, and it still is; but it probably would not be appreciated now. Also, I don’t think anyone else could manage the role like he did.
Richard Dean Anderson is MacGyver.
No Richard Dean Anderson, no MacGyver!
There are those roles that can not be transfered.
@Roxy
I agree. Just use the premise and call it something new.
I think it could work. The movie ‘The Rundown” had The Rock being a character who didn’t like guns, but he didn’t say he couldn’t use guns. I think Mac could be like this today, a guy who uses his brain to solve problems, doesn’t like guns but he can use them with deadly accuracy. I think RDA could be in it, as the uncle or the head of the organization, or, like Harrison Ford and Sly, reprise the role with an older Mac.
Now I would love to see an Airwolf or 6 Billion Dollar Man movie.
MacGyver is Richard Dean Anderson. What’s the point to watch this movie if it’s not him…
Harrison Ford made Indiana Jones 4 when he was 65, and Richard Dean Anderson is not even 60 yet.
Do MacGyver with a script with RDA being a character in the movie but his son is the new MacGyver with RDA’s MacGyver coming out to help his son towards the end..
@greenknight333:
That might be kinda hard because then they’d have to mostly match whoever played his son in the final (couple?) episode(s?).
I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I LOVED MacGyver when it was airing on TV. It was fun and used some smarts, too (although Mythbusters has since debunked ALOT of the MacGyver miracles). Part of me would love to see RDA reprise the role for a movie, but if they want a franchise, that is not going to happen. I could live with a new guy as MacGyver (say Matthew McConaughey?) if they modernized the character (NO MULLETS!) but kept the spirit the same.
On the other hand, I don’t want ANYONE to totally bastardize MacGyver either. Which seems to be the status quo for movies from TV shows. If they’re thinking; “Will Ferrell would be GREAT in this role!”, then they need to be shot.
If they get Will Farrell or Jack Black or make this into a comedy, I’m going to have to shoot someone.
Love MacGyver. Love Rick Anderson. Wouldn’t want to see anyone else in the role.
Well, except me, that is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6EV3WvDFck