Bringing classic (and mostly cheesy) TV shows back in the spotlight only seems to have worked in the past when the creators have a tongue-in-cheek spirit to the whole effort, as noted by the success of recent reboots like 21 and 22 Jump Street or older films like Starsky and Hutch. So, naturally, when one hears that comedic actor-turned-filmmaker Dax Shepard (NBC's Parenthood) is attempting to write, direct and star in a reboot of the late '70s, early '80s TV series CHiPs, it's natural to assume another cheeky farce is in motion. But, if Shepard has his way, his re-imagining of the beloved TV series may be more serious than one would initially believe.
According to Deadline, Shepard has signed on with Warner Bros. production to not only star as Officer Jon Baker, played by Larry Wilcox in the original series, but write and helm the reimagining as well. Filling in Erik Estrada's shoes, Michael Pena will play Officer Frank "Ponch" Poncherello. The original Rick Rosner-created series focused on these two officers as they patrolled the highways of California on their specialized motorcycles.
No word yet on when Warner Bros. expects to put this in theaters or start production. But this new take is being envisioned as being more in the tone of Bad Boys and Lethal Weapon than an upfront comedy. Of course, as noted by those movies, while comedy will likely come in small doses, one would assume fans shouldn't expect it to take the front seat, as it did in 21 and 22 Jump Street. Additionally, being a professional race car and motorcycle driver, Shepard will perform his own riding and stunts. A risky proposition for Warner Bros., because if he gets hurts, they lose both a director and lead star. But given that he did such tasks in his last film, Hit & Run, it is expected that Shepard will continue to handle his stunts well.
Apparently, attempts at making CHiPs into a movie have been in the works for the past six years. The closest to it becoming a reality being when Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) was positioned to play the part of Ponch. The interest to make the movie fizzled, however, when reboots like Starsky and Hutch and The Dukes of Hazzard took over Warner Bros.' interest instead.
Rosner will serve as an executive producer on the new film, and Shepard will be working under his studio, Primate Pictures. This marks the first time he will be working behind the camera on a studio production. This should also mark the first time Shepard is the sole director on a film, having previously worked beside David Palmer on his past two movies.
Shepard will soon be seen on the sixth and supposedly last season of Parenthood, which will begin on Sept. 25.
Image courtesy of INFphoto.com
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