A ‘Varsity Blues’ TV Show Is Coming To A Television Near You
We can now officially addVarsity Bluesto thelong listof movies being adapted for television. The high school football movie is mostly remembered for its campier moments — most notably the seduction scene parodied by the wonderfulNot Another Teen Movie– but it has its fans, ones that don’t only appreciate it for its cheesier qualities. CMT, who’s developing the TV show, is likely hoping those fans will be interested theVarsity Bluesseries they’re planning.
Below, learn more about theVarsity BluesTV show.
Deadlinereported CMT has ordered a script from the film’s screenwriterW. Peter Iliff,. Iliff also wrotePoint BreakandPatriot Games, and he most recently made his feature directorial debut withRites of Passage, a thriller starring Wes Bentley, Stephen Dorff, and Christian Slater. The screenwriter is the only talent from theVarsity Bluesmovie who is currently involved in the show, which Paramount TV is producing.
There are zero details regarding the story. Whether the show will follow brand new characters or Jonathon “Mox” Moxon (James Van Der Beek), Billy Bob (Ron Lester), Coach Kilmer (Jon Voight), Tweeter (Scott Caan), and Lance (Paul Walker) and Jules Harbor (Amy Smart) again is unclear. Surely nobody would find it sacrilegious if these characters were recast for the show, butVarsity Bluescould easily follow a new team.
Another question is: Will the story remain in Texas? AVarsity Bluestelevision show is destined to be compared toFriday Night Lights– another title that was first a movie, follows high school football players,andis set in Texas. AlthoughVarsity Bluescame out many years before Peter Berg’s film and NBC’s excellent drama — but not before H.G. Bissinger’s book — we all knowFriday Night Lightsis what a lot of people will think of if or when aVarsity Bluestelevision show materializes. Even the setup of theFriday Night Lightsshow andVarsity Bluesaren’t very different: an all-star quarterback gets hurt, so the second-string quarterback gets his chance.
Varsity Blueswas directed byBrian Robbins, whose filmography includesA Thousand Words,Meet Dave,Norbit, andThe Shaggy Dog. Robbins also directedHardballandThe Perfect Score– two kinda silly and harmless movies that aren’t difficult to watch when they’re on TV — but he’s probably most known forVarsity Blues. Like his other films, it was hardly a critical darling, but it’s not without its somewhat outdated charm.
