80’s ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ TV Series To Get A Reboot!
The CW network is reportedly planning to reboot the 1980s CBS drama ‘Beauty and the Beast‘ – according to TV Line!
The network, which skews towards a younger viewer base, has ordered a script based on the 80s cult series that starred Ron Perlman as Vincent (the Beast) and Linda Hamilton as Catherine Chandler (the Beauty).
The rebooted project, set up at CBS Television Studios, has been pitched as a modern-day romantic love story with a “procedural” twist. ‘Brothers and Sisters‘ producers Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper are attached to write the project, and they will both exec produce alongside Paul Witt, C. Anthony Thomas, Ron Koslow and Bill Haber.
You would be forgiven for thinking this was a fan-made rumour, as the project comes nearly a week after ABC Studios announced their plans for a “reimagination” of the famous story with ‘Human Target‘ writer Jonathan E. Steinberg attached to exec produce and pen the project for ABC. Their version, with Gary Fleder and Mary Beth Basile attached as executive producers, is described as an epic fantasy reimagining of the public domain fairy tale about a girl forced to live with a beast in a castle who ultimately falls in love with him. Aww, how sweet!
The CW’s ‘Beauty and the Beast‘ is said to be the first project which new boss Mark Pedowitz spoke with about with CBS Television Studios chief David Stapf, when he joined the network. CBS still owns the rights to the original 1980s drama, which lasted for three seasons.
I enjoyed ‘Beauty and the Beast‘, regardless what critics said about, and I recently bought the complete series box set to get me through the dull winter days. If they get the story and casting right, then they could stretch it out beyond three seasons!
For those who have never even heard of original TV series, here’s a brief reminder.
