There is a Flintstones reboot on the way, this time a sequel series with Elizabeth Banks starring as adult Pebbles. While not the first attempt to bring back the first family of prime-time television, there is clearly a lot of interest based on the number of films and adaptations that have been made over the years. But the real question may be whether or not audiences will still find the prehistoric family as entertaining as they were almost 60 years ago.
Premiering in 1960 as the first animated primetime series, The Flintstones was a big gamble by legendary production company Hanna-Barbera. They were lucky enough to convince ABC to give them a prime-time slot, and they aptly used that time to craft a series beloved by kids and parents alike, though never that well received by critics. Regardless, by the end of its six-season, 166-episode run, The Flintstones had cemented its place in television history. With catchphrases like "Yabba-dabba do!," its iconic theme song, and being the first animated show nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, audiences would not soon forget TV's original cartoon primetime family.
The Wrap is now reporting that a new Flintstones sequel series is in the works with Banks both producing and starring as an adult version of Pebbles Flintstone. The new animated series, titled Bedrock, will feature the family 20 years after the original show. Pebbles will be starting her own life and career just as Fred is preparing to retire, and the world around the family is adapting from the Stone Age to the shiny newness of the Bronze Age, meaning everyone will be faced with change. The new series will air on Fox, whose President of Entertainment, Michael Thorn, seemed very excited about the new series:
“Long before the Simpsons and Springfield, the Griffins and Quahog or even when the Belchers started serving burgers on Ocean Avenue, there were the Flintstones and Bedrock. Their imprint on the animation universe is undeniable and the idea of adapting it for today’s audience is a challenge we here at FOX are very much looking forward to taking on with Warner Bros., Elizabeth and Lindsay. No pressure whatsoever, really.”
The show is currently in development at Fox, working with Warner Bros. Animation, who currently own the rights to most of the Hanna-Barbera properties, including the Flintstones characters. Banks and her company Brownstone Productions will be producing the new animated comedy. The pilot script is being written by Lindsey Kerns, currently known for her work on Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous on Netflix and DC Super Hero Girls for Warner Bros/DC.
While the fortunes of the Flintstones sequels and adaptations might not have been great in the past few decades, there seems to be a real fascination with the original series with fans. Maybe it is nostalgia, or just Hollywood's unwillingness to let any franchise die, but it is truly remarkable to see how many times this particular series has been resurrected, even after so many misfires. With Elizabeth Banks involved this time around with some creative control, fans can at least breath a little easier knowing that she has a good amount of talent and a real passion for comedy. But whether or not that is enough to overcome the particular curse of this franchise will depend a lot on the quality of the writing, animation, and everyone else involved in the reboot.
SOURCE: The Wrap