The MacGruber television show is almost done being written, with filming possibly beginning this fall. Based on the popular recurring Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, in which Will Forte parodied the 1980s adventure series MacGyver, the movie version was directed by Jorma Taccone. Along with Forte in the title role, the action film also starred Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Maya Rudolph, and Val Kilmer as the antagonist. In spite of its status as a box office disappointment, grossing $9 million against a budget of $8 million, MacGruber has maintained a loyal following over the years. Talk of a sequel has persisted since the movie’s initial release, with news of MacGruber’s return making the rounds every few years.
It was announced in January that MacGruber’s revival would happen on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s upcoming service. Written by Forte, Taccone, and John Solomon, with a team of executive producers that includes Lorne Michaels, the comedy series will see MacGruber released from prison. Free for the first time in over a decade, the American hero will aim to defeat a mysterious villain from his past. In the process, MacGruber will reunite with the characters originally played by Wiig and Phillippe in the film. Although the series is still a long way from reaching audiences, with more details yet to be worked out, Forte provided fans with an update during a recent appearance.
According to Collider, Forte noted that the process of writing scripts for the eight-episode series is almost done. The actor added that they are plans to begin filming later this year, though he also added the caveat that the series hasn’t officially been given the greenlight yet. Forte’s update, which was shared during a live reunion of Last Man On Earth cast members, sounded cautiously optimistic about the prospects of a MacGruber series going forward. Read Forte’s full comments below.
Right now, we are finishing the last scripts of an eight-episode series of MacGruber, which fingers crossed will be shot in the fall. We don’t officially know that we’re greenlit yet, but we’re very excited about the stuff we’ve written so far, and so far we’re going ahead as if it’s still going on. But who knows, with the current situation in the world, who knows if it gets pushed back. And everything could always just go kaput as per MacGruber, but it’s something we’re hoping to do and moving towards.
The long history of Saturday Night Live has meant that plenty of the show’s creations have popped up in other areas of pop culture. Some, such as Wayne’s World and The Blues Brothers, transcend their relatively modest origins. Others prove to have a more ephemeral presence, failing to find much success when making the jump from a brief sketch to longer narrative forms.
MacGruber resides somewhere in the middle. While the film initially flopped when it premiered in 2010, it has since achieved something of a cult classic reputation. The combination of exaggerated action, with a supporting cast comprised largely of an eclectic group of WWE stars, the parody of MacGyver has had a longer shelf life than many would have anticipated. Hopefully, the television show will be received positively by longtime fans if it does move forward.
Source: Collider