10 Apr 2015
Fox is looking to remake the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show as it celebrates it’s 40th anniversary. A two-hour taped event special, with a tentative name of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Event, is currently in development with The Jackal Group’s Gail Berman to executive produce; producer Lou Adler who produced the 1975 version as well; and Kenny Ortega to choreograph and direct the Fox 21 TV Studios production. A cast-contingent order is out on the project, which is described as a re-imagining of the campy horror feature, which, 40 years after its release continues, to play in theaters around the world – the longest theatrical distribution frame for any film in history.
The adaptation was originally set up at Fox in 2002 by Berman, who has been a fan of Rocky Horror since she was a teenager and started her career as a Broadway producer before segueing to television, yet Rocky Horror had always remained a passion project for her. The project has bounced around a few times between Fox and MTV and FtvS, but never made it to screen. But it has returned back to Fox.
The plan for The Rocky Horror Picture Show Event remake is to remain faithful to the text and score of the original, yet re-imagine the story visually, in good hands with High School Musical‘s Kenny Ortega at the helm. Ortega will also be directing and producing Lionsgate’s remake of Dirty Dancing, written by Brad Falchuk and Maria Maggenti.