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Exclusive: Paramount Nabs Meatballs Remake Rights from Lionsgate, Plan Nickelodeon Style-Remake

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (11)

meatballs9.jpeg

Of the vague memories I have of 1979 Bill Murray minor cult classic Meatballs, I remember best Murray’s off-the-wall comedic performance (his first feature as an actor, as well as Ivan Reitman’s break-out directorial movie) was the boobs. It wasn’t an R-rated movie or anything, but there was a lot of heady sexual energy in it, and lots of bikinis, as I recall. It was also a very raunchy movie for its time (Harold Ramis scripted).

The remake won’t aspire for such raunchiness, so we’re told by The Hollywood Cog. The remake, which has been in development for a number of years, once had Sean Anders and John Morris (Sex Drive, Hot Tub Time Machine) attached as screenwriters, but after the remake rights lapsed with Lionsgate, Paramount acquired the rights and put it in turnaround. They worked up a first draft of the script from Geoff LaTulippe (Going the Distance), but apparently, Ivan Reitman — who is heavily involved in the development of the film — decided that he didn’t like it. Not famiily-friendly enough. Grandpa wants was a very broad, “Nickelodeon-style family comedy.” So, last month, after passing on Adam “Tex” Davis, Paramount brought in Josh Heald to rewrite the script, an interesting choice because he cracked the Hot Tub Time Machine story that Anders and Morris eventually wrote.

Point being, for those of you old enough to remember the original, you’re either going to be pleased to know that you can bring your 7 year old child to the remake, or pissed off because the bikinis will probably be replaced by juvenile fart jokes.

And for those of you who don’t know, the original Meatballs featured Bill Murray as a rebellious camp counselor who takes a nerdy kid under his wing while wacky hijinks ensue in the form of a prank war between them and a rival camp. It was essentially the basis for every camp movie that followed.









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Comments

Italic Attack!!!!!

Posted by: Drake at July 28, 2010 11:21 AM

IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at July 28, 2010 12:40 PM

It was essentially the basis for every camp movie that followed.

That was the first thought I had when I saw the headline. Why make bother fucking up the original with a remake when it's already been remade a million times?

Posted by: lwoodpdowd at July 28, 2010 1:09 PM

I had the most intense crush on the actor that played Rudy when I was a kid. I watched Meatballs a couple years ago and I still got kind up choked up over the whole Rudy the Rabbit bit.

Funny enough, I don't recall tons of bikinis and boobs. What sticks with me now (and that I totally glossed over as a kid) is the attempted rape scene between Bill Murray's character and the female counselor he was crushing on. I had to pick my mouth up off the floor when I saw that not too long ago.

Posted by: elsie at July 28, 2010 1:11 PM

ExasperatINGly... or exasperaTEDly?

Posted by: Maryscott O'Connor at July 28, 2010 1:26 PM

I *still* recite, "Bruce Lee, Patron Saint of Self-Defense, pray for us," when getting ready to do something that may become cheerfully violent.

Posted by: The Wanderer at July 28, 2010 1:38 PM

My best friend's grandma took her and her sisters to see this and my mom refused to let me go. I am still bitter 30 years later and have not ever taken the time to see it! I doubt it will warp me as much today as it would have when I was 10.

Posted by: SCG at July 28, 2010 2:50 PM

Spazz!

Posted by: greer at July 28, 2010 6:01 PM

Your teenage years raping begins now, and it will be brought to you by none other than the original director no less. Has Reitman been hanging out at the Skywalker Ranch?
This is just the WORST kind of betrayal of principles, I mean a FUCKING Nickelodeon type of comedy, HUH? That's what Nickelodeon is for. You want to do Nick material then just go to them and ask them to let you process one of their turds, don't crap on your property dude.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at July 28, 2010 8:17 PM

Jesus, next you're gonna bring news that someone is remaking Stripes.
How can it possibly be seen as feasible?
I can't see a remake of a film whose star is so iconic making a mark anywhere near as deep as that of the original. So... why bother?
Has anyone in Hollywood taken a freakin' breath since this remake madness set in, and stepped back for just a minute to gauge the level of success (or lack of) all of these remakes are reaching? I don't recall any of them amounting to much of anything. Yet, they continue to spew forth at a furious rate.
I don't get it.

Posted by: Rykker at July 28, 2010 10:56 PM

I had the most intense crush on the actor that played Rudy when I was a kid. I watched Meatballs a couple years ago and I still got kind up choked up over the whole Rudy the Rabbit bit.
Funny enough, I don't recall tons of bikinis and boobs. What sticks with me now (and that I totally glossed over as a kid) is the attempted rape scene between Bill Murray's character and the female counselor he was crushing on. I had to pick my mouth up off the floor when I saw that not too long ago.

Posted by: cosplay costumes at March 8, 2011 2:39 AM