TV nowadays is in an era of reboots, revivals, and adaptations. Networks large and small have been hard at work in recent years to make everything old new again for modern audiences. Now, one major network has a project in the works that may mean that the classic film The Italian Job will make it to the small screen as an ongoing series. NBC has committed to a script reboot.
The Italian Job for NBC will be a reboot of the 1969 film of the same name as well as its 2003 remake. The potential series would follow a crew of retired criminals who are pushed back into their lives of crime when they get the chance to bust their head honcho out of jail. Charlie Croker is the heart and mastermind of the story as a former convict who attempted to live on the straight and narrow after leaving crime behind. He has the looks and charisma to get away with just about anything. The excitement of crime is too much for him to stay within the law for too long, especially when the opportunity arises to break his old pal out of the clink.
Charlie Croker was played by Michael Caine in the 1969 original Italian Job, and Mark Wahlberg tackled the role in the 2003 remake. Both actors were pretty big names when the films were released, so it will be interesting to see if NBC can land a recognizable actor to play Charlie for the TV series. The project is far too early in development for any casting details, but THR reports that NBC will face a financial penalty if it does not move forward with production. The odds are good that a third actor will be cast as Charlie.
The Italian Job series is set to be executive produced by writer Benjamin Brand, Rob Weiss, and Donald De Line. Rob Weiss worked as a writer and producer on the HBO series Entourage from 2004 - 2011 and currently serves as executive producer on HBO's Ballers. He's set to pen the script with Benjamin Brand. For his part, Donald De Line produced the 2003 Italian Job remake.
The original film was not a huge hit in the U.S., but it fared well enough across the pond that it gained a following in the years following its 1969 release. The American remake in 2003 was a financial success, grossing $176 million worldwide on a budget of $60 million. Only time will tell if a TV adaptation can find a similar degree of success. We can only hope at this point that the show does justice to any car chases. Both versions of the film featured pretty fantastic chases, and it would be a shame if any Italian Job series fell short on that one pivotal point.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in news about the releases and reboots in the works for TV, and don't forget to check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch during the wait for more details about NBC's The Italian Job.
