The upcoming High Fidelity TV series has found its male lead in actor Jake Lacy. The series will be a reboot of the 2000 film starring John Cusack as a music-obsessed record store owner going through a romantic crisis and trying, in fits and starts, to grow up and grow past his predilection for creating Top-Five lists and thinking of every woman he meets as a potential love interest. The film, based on the 1995 Nick Hornby novel of the same name was well-regarded by critics and went on to become something of a cult hit following its arrival on home video.
As such, it’s no surprise that the concept would be considered ripe for a TV series reboot, albeit with some pretty significant changes. For starters, the series will be told from a female point of view, with Zoë Kravitz stepping in to the lead role as the music-obsessed record store owner. Meanwhile, the series will also make a geographical change, moving from Chicago to New York. That’s not the first time the story has altered its setting, though, as Hornby’s novel took place in London. It seems as though the story is universal enough to work with any number of changes, and that’s certainly going to work in Hulu’s favor.
So far, the series’ only cast member has been Kravitz, but, as reported by Deadline, Lacy is now set to join in the role of Clyde “A recent NY transplant from LA, he’s still trying to figure out how to navigate the city. Despite his lack of interest in music, he reveals a funny and open side that intrigues Rob (Kravitz). But he might prove to be just like all the other guys… or so it seems.”
That Clyde doesn’t have an overt interest in music should make for a charming source of conflict between him and Rob, especially if the series is setting him up as a the main romantic interest for Kravitz. Whether he’ll be around for the longterm, creating a familiar will they or won’t they dynamic, or if he’ll be something else is yet to be determined. But given his obvious on screen charisma and ability to work with both comedic and dramatic performances — as seen in The Office and I'm Dying Up Here, as well as the film Obvious Child, opposite Jenny Slate — Lacy will make for a strong addition to the series.
So far, High Fidelity’s journey from book to film to TV series has been a twisty one, as it was originally planned as a series for Disney +, before moving to Hulu following Disney’s recent maneuverings with both the streaming service and its acquisition of 20th Century Fox properties. For what it’s worth, the series seems like it will be a better fit for Hulu, alongside other originals like PEN15 and the recently premiered Ramy.
High Fidelity does not currently have a premiere date.
Source: Deadline