If NBC has a gameplan for reemerging as the home of primetime comedies, it seems to be taking movie titles from the 1980s and turning them into sitcoms. First, it was announced that the former home of Must See TV was bringing the beloved Val Kilmer film Real Genius back into our lives in the form of a single camera comedy that has nothing to do with a team of college geniuses stopping the government from weaponizing their schoolwork, but is instead a workplace comedy. Now, NBC is resurrecting Cameron Crowe’s 1989 romantic comedy Say Anything…, which starred John Cusack as a young kickboxer in love with Ione Skye.
Unlike Real Genius, though, Say Anything… will reportedly not only tell the same story of Lloyd Dobler, but it will pick up 10 years after the movie left off.
The Say Anything series picks up ten years later. Lloyd has long since been dumped by Diane and life hasn’t exactly turned out like he thought. But when Diane surprisingly returns home, Lloyd is inspired to “dare to be great” once again, get Diane back and reboot his life. (Via Deadline)
So they’re basically untying the end of a mostly happy love story for the sake of retying it again, and all while it takes place in 1999. This already doesn’t sound like the best of ideas, but as I close my eyes, I can feel the Y2K jokes coming from a mile away. However, before the unholy army of the 80s children rises up and storms the gates of 30 Rock, let’s check in with John Cusack for his opinion on this.
Hell no !! “@readdreamwrite: .@johncusack Are you or @CameronCrowe involved with this series?http://t.co/CAIfVIR9L3”
— John Cusack (@johncusack) October 7, 2014
And what about Crowe? Surely he cannot be pleased about this at all.
Regarding the announcement of a "Say Anything" tv show… @JohnCusack, @IoneSkye1 and I have no involvement… except in trying to stop it.
— Cameron Crowe (@CameronCrowe) October 7, 2014
According to Deadline, there’s an unwritten rule between studios and filmmakers that requires the former to ask for the latter’s permission whenever an old title is dug up and rebooted, remade or renewed, and “a miscommunication with his executives” is to blame for Crowe not being given the opportunity to voice his obvious opposition to this idea before the news broke yesterday. Still, NBC can proceed with a Say Anything… sitcom if it pleases, and between this, Real Genius and that timely Problem Child series, the network can eventually rename its Thursday night lineup, “Please F*cking Remember the 80s/90s,” and fill the fourth spot with Friends reruns. Just don’t be surprised when it happens.
