Related Sections: Movies News TV
MacGyver pulling a movie together out of household items
New Line is developing a movie based on the hit TV series MacGyver, which turned Richard Dean Anderson into a star, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Raffaella De Laurentiis, daughter of Dino De Laurentiis, is producing through her Raffaella Productions, along with Martha De Laurentiis and series creator Lee Zlotoff. Dino De Laurentiis is executive-producing.
MacGyver was a science-oriented adventure series that ran from 1985-'92 on ABC. Richard Dean Anderson, later of Stargate SG-1, starred as an incredibly resourceful secret agent for the Phoenix Foundation who frequently would escape from dangerous situations with ingenious and lightning-quick engineering trickery.
Two telefilms starring Anderson aired in the years after the show's cancellation. The character eventually achieved enough cultural penetration to become a reference for anyone attempting to jury-rig a solution out of household items. Anderson himself reprised the character in a MasterCard TV commercial in 2006 and again in a series of Saturday Night Live "MacGruber" sketches and Pepsi commercials.
No writer is attached, but the studio hopes to find a script that can acknowledge how the concept has staked a place in pop culture yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie.
By ZhaneEndrick at 7:27 AM ON 03/16/09
"No writer is attached, but the studio hopes to find a script that can acknowledge how the concept has staked a place into pop culture yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie."
In other words it's going to a spoof called "MacGyver Movie" and it's going to be absolutely dreadful.
By Tokrath at 8:07 AM ON 03/16/09
Yet another case of we can't think of a new idea so lets just drum up an old one.
I can't even begin to think how they would make this anything but a joke at itself.
By Mike at 10:10 AM ON 03/16/09
[insert eye roll here]
Face facts, kids. "MacGruber" sucked and was totally unfunny. The spoof movies also are unfunny and chock full of suckage.
Do this right, or don't do it at all. That includes bringing in Richard Dean Anderson.
By Ra-Amun at 12:04 PM ON 03/16/09
NO RDA = NO VIEW
I expect a Dukes of Hazzard/Starsky & Hutch type of movie.
By shroudedwolf at 12:19 PM ON 03/16/09
Are we sure the scifi channel isn't trying to pull this out as a scifi original? Come on New Line, this movie is going to bomb. It's a waste of your money. Please, focus on doing Nightmare on Elm Street really well instead.
By scifimom at 2:18 PM ON 03/16/09
I too would predict a miserable failure for such a venture and I LOVE MacGyver (I own the DVD's) and RDA. Unless, they can get Nathan Fillion to star in it...THAT I would pay to see.
By scgirl at 4:40 PM ON 03/16/09
I bet none of you people could come up with something better Tokrath and Mike. You two act so smart. What do you got?
By scgirl at 4:45 PM ON 03/16/09
I am not all that into McGyver anymore. But, Tokrath (Ha! Ha!) and Mike. You two talk big, show the world how smart you are. Make a movie the whole world will enjoy. Or, shut up!
By Thorny at 7:23 PM ON 03/16/09
They also made a "MacGyver" joke in an early episode of SG-1, where Carter tells O'Neill that they "MacGyvered" a solution to some technical problem.
By sammer4970 at 11:57 PM ON 03/16/09
In defense of Tokrath and Mike i too am sick to death of the action tv to movie comedy transition. As for asking them to be so great... one doesn't need the talent of writing to criticize the crap coming out of Hollywood. Although I do believe I know why... We used to get great movies based of great novels. It seems that those in the movie industry have found a new way to shoot themselves in the foot. Case 1: Steve Alten's novel "Meg" a great read and great idea. When he tried to option the rights no one bit. but a rash of rip offs flooded the market. Case 2: Stephen King's novel "Cell" also ripped off. It seems now that no one is willing to take their ides to Movie Studios for fear of being turned down only to have the movie be made anyway with a few changes to avoid lawsuits... so we are stuck with remake after sucky remake after sucky remake...........
By TheWeepingAngel at 11:47 AM ON 03/18/09
So long as RDA doesn't have a mullet...
(Just kidding!)
I'm concerned that a MacGyver movie has so much chance for failure, so many pitfalls. I love RDA, but one man cannot make a movie.
On the other hand...
Anyone remember that Superbowl commercial for Mastercard? "Little things that get you through the day: Priceless."
Visit mobile.syfy.com/wire on your mobile device.
TheWeepingAngel:
So long as RDA doesn't have a mullet... (Just kidding!) I'm concerned that a MacGyver movie has so much chance f...More »