With TNT announcing today that they're bringing "Dallas" back to the box, I'd say it's pretty safe to say Betty 'Wayne's World' Thomas's long-gestating film version has likely gone the way of an ill-advised oil tycoon : bust.
Pity? Nah, not really, I think everyone that's been following the progress of the film over the years would agree that New Regency didn't seem to know what they were doing there. One minute they wanted a drama, the next they wanted a comedy, then they wanted a bit of both. Director's - namely Australia's Robert Luketic; Gurinder Chadha also briefly flirted with the project - came and go. And they couldn't get a cast to stick either - everyone from Colin Farrell to Shirley MacLaine and Jennifer Lopez had attached and consequently disattached themself from the project at one time or another. The only chap who didn't insist his letter of intent was tossed away was John Travolta, who, it'd seem, saw the role of J.R Ewing as a once-in-a-lifetime-part (more like another chance to make a complete fool of himself). Actually, that's not true, I believe Katie Cassidy (better known these days as the devious mini-skirter donner Ella on "Melrose Place" 2.0) was pretty much set too; she was set to play Lucy Ewing. But yeah, whatever the case, the film just didn't want to happen. And I'm sure that's for the best.
So what kind of show are TNT planning? Well, for a start, considering THR suggests Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray have been approached to reprise their roles for the revamp, something much more in tune - and assumingly, loyal - to the original 80s fave.
According to the trade, creator Cynthia Cidre (the short-lived "Cane") is dreaming up the plot for the new series. It'll again center on the Ewing family, and the original plan was for it revolve around J.R. and Sue Ellen's son John Ross and Bobby and Pam's adopted son Christopher, but the studio (Warner Horizon) and the network are waiting on Cidre's take before they commit to that blueprint.
Obviously, until they decide which direction they're going to go in, there's no deals on the table for Hagman, Duffy and Gray. If they are needed, I don't doubt they'll jump at the chance to come back - all three are about as busy as the Easter Bunny at Christmas.
"Dallas," which premiered in 1978, was one of television's most successful primetime soaps and ran for 13 seasons on CBS.
It's actually rather amusing that all the shows I... we... grew up on, like this, "Melrose Place", "Battlestar Galactica", "Beverly Hills 90210", and "Bionic Woman" are coming/have come back. Can only imagine what's around the corner! (An "X-Files" reboot? The return of "The Heights"? a new small-screen "Dukes of Hazzard?"? maybe even K.I.T.T.... Oh that's right, that one's been done.) The irony of it all is that most of the shows that are getting a new lease on life weren't rating at all in their last couple of seasons on the air - - which is something The CW, home of the new "Melrose Place" - who are still scratching their heads over why the reintroduction of Amanda Woodward (Heather Locklear) onto the series didn't bump up the ratings - probably should've considered before returning to the address. Hopefully TNT has a bit more luck with "Dallas" Revisited.
