Another day in Hollywood, another reboot in the works. This time it is theDavid Hasselhoffclassic seriesKnight Riderthat is going to get the reboot treatment, but it is heading to the big screen as opposed to being done as a TV series. And, despite Hasselhoff’s desire to bringKnight Riderback in a gritty way, it looks like this is going to be done in the vein of21 Jump Street, which is exactly what the man who starred in the original series doesn’t want.
The news comes courtesy ofScreen Rant, who report that the Weinstein Company is looking at doing aKnight Ridermovie, with John Cena (Sisters) being eyed to star as Michael Knight, and Kevin Hart (Ride Along) being eyed to voice the intelligent car KITT. As it stands, neither of them have officially signed on, but the studio is “interested in getting them on board.” It sounds like the project is in the very early stages, as there is no talk of a director or writer being attached to thisKnight Rider reboot.
This news comes just as David Hasselhoff has been trying to get aKnight Riderreboot going on his own. He pitchedJames Gunnsome ideas duringGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2and the director reportedly responded to them, but Gunn is a busy guy. Hasselhoff said that he wants it to be dark and done in the style ofLogan. The most interesting part is that he specifically said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he didn’t see this is something that should be done like Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s21 Jump Street, but this new report from Screen Rant specifically states that is what this version is aiming for.
“I’ve given some ideas to James forKnight Riderand he responded in a big way. If it does go forward, I don’t want it to be spoofed likeBaywatchor21 Jump Street. Those films lose what it’s about and you have to respect the fans.”
Knight Rideroriginally aired in 1982 and was a very big hit at the time. The series centered on a lone crime fighter named Michael Knight who, with the assistance of his artificially intelligent car namedKITT, did his best to stop bad guys in true 80s fashion. The show ran for four seasons and was nominated for an Emmy during its initial run. Sadly, it sounds like David Hasselhoff can’t hope for more than a cameo if this proposed version moves forward, just as he did inBaywatch.
This is not the first time someone has attempted to reviveKnight Rider. NBC tried to bring the series to the modern age in 2008, but that particular reboot only lasted for a single season. Last year, Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond) was reportedly looking to doKnight Rideras a web series for Machinima, but that didn’t happen either. Given John Cena’s rising star, as he is set to star in the upcomingTransformersspin-offBumblebee, and Kevin Hart’s major popularity, thisKnight Ridermovie could pick up steam quickly if the two stars sign on. Sorry, Hasselhoff.
