In recent years, CBS has seemed very intent on buttressing its hit original programming library with movie-to-TV reboots. From Rush Hour to Training Day to Limitless, the network is fond of these kinds of attempts, though none of those actually lasted. The latest such project heading into development is a televised remake of the Bill Murray-starring military comedy Stripes. What's more, Stripes 2.0 has the film's director Ivan Reitman on board as a producer and possibly more.
Now, before everyone starts cheering or groaning -- I'm certain the words "Stripes TV reboot" inspire a wealth of extreme emotions in some people -- the project is just going into the early development stages now, so this is basically a way for CBS to say it's got people thinking pretty hard about it. One of those people is Ivan Reitman, helmer and producer of the 1981 original, who apparently isn't against directing the comedy's pilot episode, according to EW; assuming CBS decides to put one into production, that is. Should it happen, Stripes would be Reitman's second time getting behind the camera for a TV pilot, though this gig probably has a better shot than the 2004 rom-com pilot Cooking Lessons did.
While the original was written by Len Blum, Harold Ramis and Daniel Goldberg, the Stripes TV show is being put together by Trevor Moore, Sam Brown and Zach Cregger. If those names aren't immediately familiar, they're three of the founding members of the sketch comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U' Know, as well as the co-creators of the IFC series of the same name. Fans of theirs will recall that they created the movie (that was split up and aired on the series) The Civil War on Drugs, which doesn't really need much of an explanation for everyone to understand that they could bring a "unique" angle to a comedy about war and the military.
The sometimes ribald film starred Bill Murray as a down-on-his-luck guy who, without any other clear options, decided to join the Army, where hijinks and bonding ensued. The update would similarly be about a "perennial rebellious outsider" who realizes his life's calling after joining the military, where he's forced to bring together a bunch of "ragtag eccentrics." It's likely CBS will want to find a few familiar faces for this one, since Murray's co-stars included Harold Ramis, John Candy, John Larroguette, Joe Flaherty and Sean Young.
CBS, which also has Shemar Moore's S.W.A.T. as another current movie-to-TV remake, has the military drama SEAL Team on the schedule, with several other networks also shooting for military dramas this TV season. But has what we've been missing actually been a military comedy all along? We'll see, depending on how quickly the network moves forward with Stripes. And if it makes it to series, can Ivan Reitman maybe put some thought into that Ghostbusters TV show idea that Dan Aykroyd recently told CinemaBlend about?
While waiting to see what happens there, head to our fall TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way. And to see what's coming to CBS and beyond in the new year, our 2018 midseason premiere schedule will be a good help.
