quote: Revolution Studios has hired first-time writers David Elliott and Paul Lovett to pen the script for its big-screen adaptation of the 1980s TV show Knight Rider, Variety reported. The feature film is being planned as an action comedy, the trade paper reported.
The TV series ran on NBC from 1982 to 1986 and centered on Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) and his talking car K.I.T.T., a Pontiac Trans Am. Hasselhoff will executive produce the film, while Disney-based Mayhem Pictures' Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray will produce with Glen A. Larson, who created the TV show, the trade paper reported.
quote:Former Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff told SCI FI Wire that he's still executive producing a feature-film version of the 1980s TV show and is also developing a new TV series. Formerly known as Super Knight Rider 3000, the feature film is now simply called Knight Rider: The Movie and is in development at Revolution Studios.
Hasselhoff added that he is in talks to produce the new TV series. "Right now it's in this land of 'Which way are we going with it?'" Hasselhoff said in an interview. "I think for the film, we're going to go one way, and for the television series another way." Hasselhoff said that he hopes to have an acting role in both the film and the series. "I figure James Bond's about my age, so I could still be Michael Knight." No start date is announced for either project.
quote:April 30, 2003 - The often reliable industry insider website 4Filmmakers.com is reporting that Ashton Kutcher (That '70s Show, Dude, Where's My Car?, Just Married) is set to star in the forthcoming big-screen adaptation of Knight Rider. As previously reported, the Revolution Studios project will "overhaul" the Knight Rider concept in order to target "young, action-oriented moviegoers."
Meanwhile, Sci Fi Wire talked to David Hasselhoff who confirmed that he's still set to executive produce the film version. The former Baywatch star says he's also involved with a new TV version of the classic '80s show. "I think for the film, we're going to go one way, and for the television series another way," he says.
The original series revolved around the mysterious crime fighter known as Michael Knight and KITT, his custom black Trans Am that was capable of speeds greater than 300 MPH and "turbo boosting" 50 feet into the air upon voice command.
Quote: Hasselhoff Skien Comes to Big Screen The Weinstein Co. has picked up the feature rights to the '80's series Knight Rider from show creator Glen A. Larson.
By Mark Umbach, FilmStew.com
Everybody's favorite TV actor, well, at least Germany's favorite TV actor, David Hasselhoff, must be so proud. The actor, who recently found out DreamWorks will be bringing an adaptation his Baywatch to theatres, will soon see another of his characters brought to the big screen. Indie shingle The Weinstein Co. has picked up feature rights to Hasselhoff starrer Knight Rider from show creator Glen A. Larson, and the company now has an eye toward adapting the series for the big screen.
Hasselhoff spent the mid-'80s cruising around the small screen as Michael Knight, with his talking car KITT, in the cop series Knight Rider. The show centered on an injured cop who had been left to die. He is nursed back to health by a mysterious millionaire who gives the cop a new name, face and all sorts of high-tech gadgets, including his car KITT, to help fight crime.
The show ran from 1982 through 1986 on NBC and earned Hasselhoff the People's Choice Award as Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series for the show's first season.
No casting decisions for the feature have been made, but David Price, who brought the idea to The Weinstein Co., will be a co-producer.
The Weinstein Co. recently picked up the feature rights to TV's Welcome Back, Kotter as a star vehicle for Ice Cube, and they are also developing The Equalizer for the big screen. One can only hope that the studio does a better job with Knight Rider than was recently done with the likes of The Dukes of Hazzard and Bewitched, to name a few.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
Some people just dont get what Dukes of Hazzard was sposed to be. They say, "Ooh, it was a pile of shit!" but they are trying to compare it to the series, not realising it wasnt actually sposed to be exactly like the series! It was a fun movie. Nothing stunning or particulary original, but a fun waste of time none the less. I'll grant that Bewitched wasnt that good, but Dukes was pretty good!
Movie snobs will always shit on movies like this though, so I shouldnt be too surprised!
If a Knight Rider movie follows the same formula as Starsky & Hutch, Charlies Angels & Dukes of Hazzard, I wont be too upset!
See thats the thing, I loved Knight Rider as a kid, but these days I try to watch it & it was nowhere near as good as I remembered! Merely transporting the show to the silver screen will more than likely suck, there has to be something new about it to make it viable!
If making it a comedy works, then go for it, but for godsake dont copy the formula of the original show unless you wanna only appeal to people under 12 years old!
Well, I definitely agree that Knight Rider, like many properties from the 80s, could use an update.
But making it a comedy would be a huge mistake, in my opinion. They would do well to keep the high-tech crimefighting aspect of the original while bringing the rest up to speed.
Quote: Wednesday said: Well, I definitely agree that Knight Rider, like many properties from the 80s, could use an update.
But making it a comedy would be a huge mistake, in my opinion. They would do well to keep the high-tech crimefighting aspect of the original while bringing the rest up to speed.
A talking car is an absurd concept, so it can only work as a comedy... unless they come up with a feasible scientific explanation. For example, they could say the car is actually a teenager who turns into an automobile whenever he touches hot water, and who can only turn back into a human by touching cold water. That, or maybe they could just make it a boogie. Boogies are fun.
Quote: Im Not Mister Mxypltk said: A talking car is an absurd concept, so it can only work as a comedy unless they come up with a feasible scientific explanation....
Quote: Im Not Mister Mxypltk said: For example, they could say the car is actually a teenager who turns into an automobile whenever he touches hot water, and who can only turn back into a human by touching cold water. That, or maybe they could just make it a boogie. Boogies are fun.
Knight Rider was a big part of my childhood. They mess with the formula and try to make it a comedy (that isn't very funny) heads will roll.
This movie is old news to KR fans. Hasselhoff tapped William Daniels, the original voice of K.I.T.T. to voice the car in the movie about a year ago.
Actually, it's new news. Revolution Studios, who had the rights when I posted the first article two years ago, has folded. The rights went back to Larson, who just sold them to the Weinsteins. Hasselhoff was a part of the Revolution project, but his name is nowhere to be found on this one. He's probably being sidelined because of his shakey divorce proceedings.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
Quote: Im Not Mister Mxypltk said: A talking car is an absurd concept, so it can only work as a comedy unless they come up with a feasible scientific explanation....
Actually, it's new news. Revolution Studios, who had the rights when I posted the first article two years ago, has folded. The rights went back to Larson, who just sold them to the Weinsteins. Hasselhoff was a part of the Revolution project, but his name is nowhere to be found on this one. He's probably being sidelined because of his shakey divorce proceedings.
Quote: Im Not Mister Mxypltk said: A talking car is an absurd concept, so it can only work as a comedy unless they come up with a feasible scientific explanation....
David Hasselhoff is in talks to reprise his role as Michael Knight in a TV movie sequel to his breakout 1980s hit series, Knight Rider, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
NBC is hoping the TV movie will reboot the franchise and launch a new series. This time out, however, Hasselhoff will cede the KITT-driving to Justin Bruening, who will play Michael Knight's son.
Per the Reporter, the so-called "backdoor pilot" will find Junior holed up in Vegas, where he's in big trouble for unpaid gambling debts and is bitter about his unrequited love for childhood best friend Sarah Kamen.
His luck changes, however, when Sarah (The Young & the Restless actress Deanna Russo), turns up and offers him a way out of his mess.
Little does the younger Knight know that Sarah is the daughter of KITT inventor Charles Kamen, who has gone missing. It's up to Knight to rescue him.
No word yet exactly how big a part the Hoff will have this time around or whether he'll be a regular should a new series get greenlighted.
Producers are also tight-lipped about what kind of vehicle the new KITT will be. The original talking Trans Am was known as Knight Industries Two Thousand. For the new version, the car will be updated to the Knight Industries Three Thousand. Early reports suggested the vehicle would have Transformers-like abilities and indicated producers were still seeking an auto manufacture to partner with.
The Knight Rider telepic is being produced by filmmaker Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), who may direct the pilot if he can squeeze it into his schedule.
Hasselhoff's last ride with KITT was in the 1991 telepic Knight Rider 2000, and over the years he's made no secret about his desire to rev up a big-screen version. But with the feature film Knight Rider stalled in development, NBC decided to proceed with a new TV incarnaiton.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
