The A-Team made a household name out of Mr. T and his gold chains, and spawned timeless sayings like “I pity the fool.” And now, just five years after a revival that brought the team of mercenaries to the silver screen, 20th Century Fox is reportedly in early talks to resurrect the popular ‘80s program yet again, this time through a TV remake, reports Deadline.
The A-Team aired from 1983 through to 1987, and followed a group of former U.S. Army Special Forces who escape from a military prison after being wrongfully charged for a crime they didn’t commit. They wind up as mercenaries, getting caught up in mayhem and everyday conflicts as they try to track down the conspiracy that set them up in the first place. The show was known to be a little bit over-the-top, but entertaining nonetheless. And who could forget that iconic theme song?
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In the show, Mr. T played B. A. “Bad Attitude” Baracus, the mechanic and the team’s muscle. The series also starred George Peppard as Lieutenant/Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, Dirk Benedict and Tim Dunigan as Lieutenant Templeton “Faceman” Peck, and Dwight Schultz as Captain H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock, who resides in a mental institution for the first four of the show’s five seasons. The show is also known for a number of guest appearances, including Boy George, Hulk Hogan, Rick James, and even veteran game show host Pat Sajak, all of whom played themselves.
As referenced above, this is by no means the first attempt at bringing back the show and characters: in 2010, 20th Century Fox released a less-than-successful feature film based on the series, which starred Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. Both Benedict and Schultz made cameos. The show has also spawned comic books, including a three-issue series from Marvel Comics, as well as several novels. And, of course, a ton of merchandise, much featuring Mr. T’s catchphrases, like “I ain’t gettin’ on no plane” or simply just his iconic, Mohawk, angry-faced, gold chain-wearing image.
This new show will be executive produced by Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious) alongside original co-creator Stephen J. Cannell’s daughter, Tawnia McKiernan, who has worked as a director on shows like Criminal Minds. Albert Kim, who executive produced Sleepy Hollow, will write the script. Frank Lupo originally created the series alongside Cannell.
The remake will reportedly take a more modern look at the story, integrating female characters into the mix.
While moves like this make one wonder if Hollywood is running out of ideas for original scripts, one can’t help but bathe in the nostalgia that this continuous stream of reboots, remakes, and revivals bring. The ’80s surely are making a comeback.
