Dodge City is heading from TV history to the big screen, as CBS Films is developing a feature film based on Gunsmoke. The Hollywood Reporter reveals that National Treasure: Book of Secrets writer Gregory Poirier will write the screenplay and Craig Baumgarten (Shattered Glass) will produce. Poirier is close to finishing the first draft of the script.
The project is described as being set in the American West made famous in the TV series, but with a contemporary look and action sequences to appeal to modern audiences. Gunsmoke is the second longest-running primetime TV series (after The Simpsons), running from 1955-1975 and making household names of Marshal Matt Dillon, Doc Adams and saloon owner Miss Kitty.
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When they say “appeal to modern audiences” you know it’s going to suck.
I agree; also what the heck is a contemporary look? Doesn’t bode well I’m thinkig
My reaction was identical — “contemporary look…appeal to modern audiences” — it’s going to suck. I can just imagine the profanity and attitude that we will see in a new Dillon. By now it should be clear that remaking the old westerns for the “new audience” doesn’t work. My suggestion would be either don’t make it at all or, for once, make it in the mold of the traditional western; the results might just be surprising.
Hollywood has run completely out of original ideas.
Last week it was announced that they’d be making a movie from The Big Valley and now Gunsmoke. Can Bonanza or Wagon Train be far behind? But do modern audiences really want to see Westerns?
Well, the made 3:10 to Yuma, and it failed pretty well. We neen more cowboys and fewer crack dealers in today’s cinema. Wagon Trains was a good idea, as well.
Correcting some errors: Well, they made “3:10 to Yuma and it FAIRED pretty well. We NEED more cowboys and fewer crack dealers. Sorry 4 the first attempt!!!
Well, Tombstone, Missing, Quigley, Unforgiven were all good movies. Lets hope they cast Tom Sellec as Arness and costume as well as tombstone and they may have a winner.
Many very good “recent” Westerns have been made. If the plot, character development, cast, and production are top notch, modern audiences seem to pay the money to see them. That’s a lot of ‘ifs.” I agree with casting Tom Selleck. Would love to see Harry Carey, Jr. one more time,too…perhaps in a cameo role.
Tom Selleck is a great actor but he’s too old to play Matt Dillon. I think they should follow the path of the original show and pick actors that are not that well known. That way if the movie is a big hit and CBS decides to bring back a series the actors in the movie could play those same roles. Selleck would never be available for that.
Contemporary look and action sequences. That right there fills me with dread.
If they want to give it a “contemporary look…appeal to modern audiences”, why even call it “Gunsmoke”. This sounds like another attempt to cash in on a “show name”. There are twenty years of stories, character development, and images that are instilled into the legend. Its just like when Coca-Cola decided it needed to change its taste, and replaced it with “New Coke”. If the story and theme stick with the original concepts of the series, perhaps even writing a donut that would feature a voice over with James Arness (such as seen in many of the first few seasons of the show), you could set up the movie as one big flashback to the origins of these characters and the “early history” of Dodge. But if the producer goes down the path that is hinted at, then all you will end up with is a movie that calls itself a western, and has the name “Gunsmoke”, but will be neither.
Speaking as a director, I would love to direct the motion pic of Gunsmoke. I would cast Lady GaGa as Matt Dillon and Tom Sizemore as Kitty, Meryl Streep as Doc and Tom Cruise as Chester.