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WIRE Buzz: Goonies reenactment drama in the works; HBO Max circles The Two Princes
How’s this for a fresh (and extremely meta) spin on a 1980s classic? Fox has reportedly given the green light for a drama series pilot about a present-day substitute teacher who embarks on a complete movie reenactment of The Goonies — with an assist from her aspiring filmmaker students.
THR reports that Fox has ordered a pilot episode for the yet-untitled series, which is being produced by Warner Bros. TV, SideCar and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV. If the idea of framing a drama around remaking the 1985 adventure classic (which we’re assuming will require a pirate ship, some hidden treasure, and a hidden grotto) sounds wild, then Fox’s description will certainly do nothing to persuade you otherwise.
“After failing to make it in New York and carrying a heavy secret with her, Stella Cooper returns to her distressed automotive hometown to substitute teach,” teases the logline, as quoted by THR. “She finds inspiration, hope and ultimately salvation when she agrees to help three students who are pursuing their filmmaking dreams by putting on an impossibly ambitious shot-for-shot remake of one of their favorite movies —The Goonies.”As the potential first season unfolds, “their passion will inspire a town in desperate need of hope in this love letter to the power of cinema, storytelling and dreams,” the description concludes, evoking more than a whiff of that wholesomely optimistic,1980s-flavored Spielberg-ian nostalgia.
Sarah Watson (The Bold Type, Parenthood) will reportedly write the series, with Greg Mottola (Adventureland, Superbad) serving as co-executive producer and director of the pilot episode. There’s no early word on when this uncanny mash-up of old and new will debut at Fox, so stay tuned.
From adapting a movie to adapting a podcast: Deadline reports that HBO Max is close to a deal with Spotify that would bring The Two Princes, an LGBQT fantasy podcast that’s gained a loyal fan following, onto the new streaming platform in the form of a feature-length animated movie.
Via the report, The Two Princes podcast writer Kevin Christopher Snipes would “work on” the small-screen adaptation, which comes from Warner Horizon/Warner Bros. Animation. It’s not known, though, whether the voice actors behind the audio version would cross over to perform their same roles for the film.
The Two Princes centers on lead character Prince Rupert, whose mission to break a curse on his kingdom grows complicated when he meets and falls for the rival Prince Amir while on his quest. Even after the pair team up and try to save their kingdoms as a couple, they’re beset by an evil sorceress on the eve of their wedding — launching them on a whole new adventure to collect the magical pieces they’ll need to defeat her.
The podcast version of The Two Princes has made its way through two seasons so far, but a premiere date for the movie hasn’t yet been revealed. As for HBO Max itself, the new streaming platform is set to launch sometime this spring.
