The quickest way to get your idea greenlighted in Hollywood is … well, to not have an idea at all. Rebooting classic shows and movies is the name of the game these days — after three different Spider-Mans and three different Hulks in the past 20 years, you’d think people might get bored, but apparently not.
Superhero flicks aren’t the only ones getting fresh coats of paint, either. The Weinstein Company has their eye on ultra-popular 1980s cop show Knight Rider, and is planning a comedic take on the show, in the same vein as Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s 21 Jump Street. Screenrant reported Tuesday that the studio hopes to snag WWE superstar John Cena to play Michael Knight (portrayed by David Hasselhoff in the original series) and comedian-slash-actor Kevin Hart to voice his car, KITT.
In recent years, Cena has followed the path set by The Rock — er, sorry, Dwayne Johnson — back in the early 2000s, splitting time between the wrestling ring and the silver screen. He’s appeared in both comedic roles (Trainwreck) and dramatic ones (The Wall). Earlier this month, he signed on to the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee, due out in December 2018.
The 16-time WWE champion is also a famed philanthropist, promoting slogans like “Rise Above Hate,” “Hustle, Loyalty, & Respect,” and “Never Give Up.” He holds the all-time record for wishes granted via the Make-A-Wish Foundation with more than 500.
Hart, meanwhile, rose to fame as a stand-up comedian before settling into his role as Hollywood’s go-to short guy, vacuuming up roles alongside badass co-stars like Johnson (Central Intelligence) and Ice Cube (Ride Along). He currently has the lead role in BET’s parody series Real Husbands of Hollywood.
If the movie actually gets made, it’ll be a minor miracle, considering the litany of failed Knight Rider reboots. A 2008 series on NBC crashed and burned after just one season, and a Justin Lin-helmed Machinima webseries failed to gain traction last year. Hell, even Hasselhoff himself approached Robert Rodriguez about producing a dark, Logan-inspired take on the franchise.
Given the show’s goofy concept (and the fact that talking cars are now commonplace), a Jump Street-style comedy seems like a good fit, with both Cena and Hart possessing serious funnyman chops. There’s no guarantee of success, however, as similar reboot projects like Baywatch (hi again, Rock!) and CHIPS failed to impress this year.
