Saturday, May 16, 2009

The very notion of "rebooting" jumps the shark: "Cliffhanger" Returns

I was already sick of the overused concept of "rebooting" movie and TV franchises, and then I saw this story, which took my sickness from runny nose to swine flu (before we stopped being all afraid of it and stuff).

This is a real article, folks, one you can read here http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=55504

I only wish I could conceive of something this funny.

StudioCanal has announced that it will be teaming with Neal Moritz's L.A.-based Original Films to reboot 1993's Cliffhanger, the action adventure thriller directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone.

They're gonna reboot CLIFFHANGER? You know what I remember about that movie? When John Lithgow told Stallone, "I must admit you're a real piece of work," and Sly replied, "Yeah, well, I must admit you're a real piece of shit." And I think Lithgow was in a helicopter at the time. Will the reboot capture that scintillating repartee as well as the action, adventure, and thrills?

Variety says the new version will center on a group of young climbers. "Just as they rebooted 'Star Trek,' we're going to do the same with 'Cliffhanger,'" said Moritz, who will produce. Unlike the original, where Italy stood in for the Colorado Rockies, the new redo looks set to feature multiple cliff-face locations

Emphasis mine in the above paragraph. Yep, just as they rebooted "Star Trek."

The end of the article mentions they hope to get a screenwriter soon. Because, you know, this concept is so solid, that the script is really just a formality. The important thing is that they get the wheels in motion and get this brand going again. Uh-huh.

Are there people sitting around worrying about how the "Cliffhanger" fanbase will react to a reboot? I have this great image of Sly Stallone calling Moritz up and saying, "Hey, yo, I can do this again." Then maybe Moritz persuades him to "accept" a cameo...because, hey, the Cliffhangies will revolt if Stallone isn't involved somehow.

Maybe they should make a movie about Neal Moritz, who seems to have brass ones bigger than any screen action hero out there right now.

2 comments:

Jim McDevitt said...

True story, I've talked to Neal Moritz on the phone. He was a bit of a jerk as I recall.

Rick Brooks said...

What a cool coinkydink. Were you pitching him Fast and Furious 5? I won't think any less of you if you were.