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EXCLUSIVE: The 1989 film Steel Magnolias is getting a contemporary remake with an all-black cast. Lifetime is developing an original movie based on the hit feature, which will be produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and Sony Pictures TV, where the duo’s Storyline Entertainment has an exclusive deal for event long-form programming. Kenny Leon, who directed Storyline/SPT’s previous collaboration, the 2008 ABC movie A Raisin In The Sun, is attached to direct the new Steel Magnolias, which, like the movie, will be set in Louisiana and explore the bond among a group of women in the present day.
Both Lifetime’s Steel Magnolias and ABC’s A Raisin In The Sun are based on properties that span a famous play and a feature. But while the Emmy-nominated Raisin In the Sun was based on Lorraine Hansberry’s play (whose 2004 Broadway revival Leon directed), Steel Magnolias, penned by Sally Robinson (Iron Jawed Angels), is an adaptation of the screenplay for the movie, which was written by Robert Harling based on his play. The feature boasted an all-star cast of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Darryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. The goal of the TV movie’s producers is to assemble a similarly high-wattage cast of black actresses. The film, said to be a passion project of Lifetime president Nancy Dubuc and EVP Programming Robert Sharenow, has not been greenlighted but is on a fast track, with some preliminary work on casting choices for the leads expected to begin soon.
In addition to A Raisin In The Sun, which starred Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan, Leon also directed the stage productions of Fences starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, and most recently The Mountaintop with Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. Zadan and Meron are executive producing the midseason NBC series Smash and Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva, which was recently renewed for a fourth season. Additionally, the duo is producing Paramount’s Footloose remake that opens next week and the Broadway production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe, who will be succeeded next year by Glee‘s Darren Criss and Nick Jonas. Steel Magnolias is not the first classic American literary property to be given an African-American makeover: L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz spawned the musical The Wiz, while Debbie Allen directed a Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat On A Hot Tin Roof with an all-black cast. (Leon had been attached to that project at one point.)
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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I don’t care how good the cast is….NO!!!!!! This is like the same situation with Dirty Dancing and other remakes that just need to NOT HAPPEN!
This is a great friggin idea. I can’t wait.
How is this a great idea? A remake based on race alone? This is the kind of crap that divides this country. Why not just a remake? Why does it have to based soley on race?
Really? So, the Departed, which was based on a Hong Kong Chinese film shouldn’t have been redone with a largely white cast?
How many Asian horror films have been redone with white American casts? The Grudge. The Ring.
Basing one movie off another by borrowing plot points is not a “remake.”
Doing a remake of a Japanese horror film so that it’s localized to America is normal. Lots of people don’t like watching foreign films with out of synch dubs or subtitles. People want to make money off a good film so why not remake it in a format that sells in another country?
But taking an entire movie script and title and making a “black” version? That’s tasteless.
Well John,
They remade those movies with American actors, because Americans, for the most part, DONT SPEAK CHINESE you idiot. It had nothing to do with the color of their skin you dolt.
This isn’t a Japanese foreign film being remade in another country. It’s a domestic film being remade with an all black cast.
John, re making a movie in a different country warrants a change in nationality and race, if applicable. The setting of this movie is the same but they are changing the race of the characters, of course for Politically Correct purposes. Truthfully, it doesn’t bother me, I didn’t watch the first one. Doubt anyone will watch it anyway, hollywood libs love to throw away money to prove they are socially enlightened.
The Ring, and The Grudge were done with American actors for dialect purposes, so the viewing audience can understand what was said without subtitles. The remake of Steel Magnolias was strictly for PC purposes.
did any americans audition for the part??? im pretty sure not. Leave it be… be happy for ppl… or stay at home. you dont have to watch it.
…and none are ever as good as the original.
Not even the same thing. Cross-country, cross-cultural remakes are a whole different thing. I don’t seem to recall seeing too many white people in the Japanese remakes of American movies. The remake of the Cohen Bros. Blood Simple comes to mind, seemed pretty Asian centric to me. These are American movies, remade in the same country. No need to redo the entire cast. Black or White, we are all Americans, right? It would seem that the need to make these types of movies harken back to a “separate but equal” mentality. Frowned upon in the old south, but apparently “a passion project of Lifetime president Nancy Dubuc and EVP Programming Robert Sharenow”. I didn’t see any mention in the article of remaking Raisin in the Sun with an all-white cast, much less it being a passion project. When there is, the cries of “Hypocrite!” may not ring so loud. This subject speaks volumes about the passive bigotry of Hollywood. “Sorry black community, we can’t come up with actual quality scripts for you, and we certainly aren’t going to hire any qualified black writers to do so, so we will just steal a white classic and let you have it. That’s a good kid, now run along, the grownups are talking.” Its condescending at best, bigoted at worst.
I agree with you John, because you are making a valid point…I am a big fan of steel magnolias and when i saw all black cast i was like what? then it dawned on me that the original was an all white cast and who cares what color skin the women have as long as the movie is good…racists pigs need to get over themselves and get a life…
Thank you for saying this.
I agree with you 100%….I am just apalled at the sheer stupidity that is being displayed more and more often in this country. The original Steel Magnolias was great because the cast was comprised of amazing women who had made their mark in the entertainment industry over the course of many many years. The blacks for so many years fought for equality and now lifetime comes along and is trying to divide and seperate them all over again, a persons skin color does not mean they are going to be able to do any better than the original version. I may watch it out of curosity but It is going to take alot more than a bunch of black women to impress me, the story line and scenery and cast all have to come together to make the movie work, something that does not happen all that often.
why does everything have to be a black,white issue. It is always aright for people to enjoy a movie where there are all white people and nothing is said about other races. this movie has a all black cast but there are other races of people that are talented. You think all white it will be that way. You think all black it will be that way.
yea you are white!!! where was the black person in the first version.
we have to do things to seperately… when it not mixed in the first version….
dont complain we didnt! we showed up for this movie
Because the whole idea from the original was to have a high class white group of women to see life in their eyes. Now same thing a group of black high class actresses modern day to see life in their eyes…moral, it’s no different!! EVEN IF YOUR BLACK OR WHITE!! Duh, read a bit more my friend or maybe common sense is not your best aspect! Think outside the race box! Not everything is about race even if it is a movie with all the same race! God help us all!!
It is completely racist…to remake a movie based on race alone. This is not like taking a classic and remaking it into a more modern version; but rather, this was remade for the soul purpose of division.
Why not make it for BET instead of Lifetime, since Race is important. BTW would black people be offended if we had a network like WET (White Entertainment Television?)
Not at all — it’s called NBC.
and CBS, ABC, CW. All the networks provide predominately all-white casts for their shows. But you’re so used to it you don’t even realize that there is very little diversity. That’s why a BET was born, only a couple of years after Michael Jackson forced MTV to play his videos, which was the first black artist the station featured. Please take all of history into account.
I for one wouldn’t be offended but,”WET” does sound a bit too pornish don’t you think.
how many more channels do you want??? greedy! no one asked you to watch BET.
A large percent of show that are on mainstream tv are based on and star white actors, so with that being said there already is WET! And its on all day everyday. Thats just like saying there should be a White History Month. Its an oxymoron.
all the the networks are WTE!!! We dont say anything…
we had one UPN
Ya’ll bought it & then cancelled the shows….. when they went to CW!!! lol
White America has ABC, NBC, CBS & FOX.
I loved Steel Magnolias and I hate remakes. I hope a similar movie is developed that a minority cast; but stay away from the remake.
Steel Magnolias is a true story based on white people. There should not be a black Steel Magnolias.
I agree with the black and white thing, they can have black but we can’t say white entertainment.
This is a good idea???? All I can say is “The Wiz”.
I agree. All I can think about is the disaster and embarrassment that was “The Wiz”.
What’s wrong with a new story? Put a writer to work?
The WIZ was genius and a genuine classic to a whole generation of people. Just because you don’t “get” it doesn’t mean you have to puke on it.
Really?
I mean, I know I am white, but I spent a lot of time living among black folk.
I have black god-children even, had black girlfriends, roommates, lived in almost exclusively black communities.
I can’t say that any black person I have ever met thought The Wiz was a good movie.
They are aware of the movies existence, and they appreciate that it was an attempt to turn a traditionally white tale into an equally good black tale, but none of them owned a copy of it or went out of their way to watch it.
I have intimately known black people from Georgia, Florida, Nigeria, South Africa, New York, Pennsylvania and Ethiopia, and haven’t known a single one that thought of The Wiz as a classic.
Maybe YOU need to stop thinking you speak for an entire race and/or generation.
then you must not be as close to black people as you think. I’m not proud of it, but black people LOVE The Wiz. Questlove from the Roots even joked in a VH1 show about Michael Jackson, that even though it was critically panned, to black people The Wiz was Citizen Kane.
re; Steel Magnolias. I don’t think it’s trying to be divisive. right now studios and networks are into remakes. this was a good opportunity for networks to meet their “remakes” mandate and to work with an amazing cast of actresses and put a new spin on it. What’s so bad about that?
Uhm I’m black and The Wiz is not a Citizen Kane by any standard. I don’t know where you live, but you need to get Netflix or go to a Blockbuster to realize The Wiz was awful.
Naw, the Wiz sucked. Even the old black ladies in my family thought it was just a waste of time talent, and money to feed Ms Ross’ ego.
The Wiz was a fantastic movie — a true classic; the proof is in the movie transcending a monumentally-poor casting/mutilation of the lead role.
The Wiz was a great Broadway show – Stephanie Mills.
The Wiz the movie was awful- Diana Ross.
They just can’t leave a good movie alone! Steel Magnolias is one of a kind, just like Dirty Dancing. No matter who they put in it, I refuse to watch…no actresses can EVER surpass Sally, Shirley, Julia, Dolly, Olympia, and Daryl. Not EVER!
I agree with you it’s a BIG HELL TO THE NO why? why? why? I mean there are so many books that could be made into movies why make redo’s of movies that did great the first time? hollywood is full of morons
Agreed…and like Footloose, I will NOT see the remake. Leave the classics alone and try a new idea – both TV and the movie industry can’t seem to get that.
It will be garbage, union probably trying to keep their people working. And they can’t write original work so why not copy? It’s the greed factor. Watched the original 10 times already and my wife makes fun of me every time I watch it. Today’s TV and most movies making people turn out garbage. Clint Eastwood , Ron Howard are just a couple of the handful of true movie makers, story tellers left.
Why does the Union have anything to do with it? We find out a production and we work on it… My option is this is ridiculous beyond, make it a new name dont ruin a classic. Im not shocked it isn’t Tyler Perry doing this he just doesn’t know when to stop. He has ridiculous movies now coming out, he is running out of ideas!
I guess I missed the part where they were going to round up and destroy all copies of the original so it can never be seen again.
Oh, wait. They aren’t doing that at all? So, we can all still enjoy the original version and totally ignore this new one if we want? Spiffy.
Please leave it alone… This is a movie with southern women , dialect and humor. This is one of my most favorite movies and it needs to be left alone. What’s next The remake of “Gone with the Wind”, how about an all white cast for the “Color Purple”? Please write a movie of your own and leave what is perfect alone. I can see it now… it will never be the same. The movie and cast were perfectly cast and please don’t destroy it.
I have mixed feelings with it. It all depends on how the movie is made really. But would they remake the movie “The color purple” with a white cast? I just think some classics should be left alone. Even if they mixed the movie with black women and white women. Its just the change of a classic for me. There are some white people made classics that shouldn’t be touched just like there aren’t any black people classics that shouldn’t be touched. Like Sister Act. You can NOT replace Whoopie with ANY white person. So again, I am 50/50.
I agree with you. This movie needs to be left alone, it is a classic. I don’t understand why Hollywood cannot come up with an original idea instead of remaking movies like they have done with dirty dancing, footloose, ect. Don’t get me wrong, i’m not racist at all, I just wish Hollywood would come up with a new movie idea with powerful African American women in the cast.
I think this is the best argument yet. I am a black woman and LOVE Steel Magnolias. I was excited about the idea of seeing a strong black cast follow in the foot steps of such a strong cast of white women. However I realize that Hollywood is batting zeros for their remakes of great classics. To make this about race muddies the water of what the real point is; messing up a true classic.
While I understand the idea behind this I wonder if it is appropriate for this particular story since the main character was modeled after a real person. I am not sure the writer would want substantial changes to a character he modeled after his sister.
I totally agree. Why remake a good movie. You can never do as well as, let alone improve on the original. They are doing a ton of remakes lately. This leads me to wonder if todays writers just suck. Why are using someone else’s work to keep your job? Is it because your work isn’t even half as good. If that is the case the studios need to start attending some film festivals and hiring some of the writers that have original ideas.
If you must remake something try remaking some of the sucky movies into something we will actually watch.
If you want to do a culture take on several generation of woman. Go for it!! Just write your own line and come up with your own plot. I am sure you can use “Steel Magnolis” for inspiration.
I Agree LEAVE it alone the show is PERFECT the way it is with the orignal cast
give it a rest they can make over any movie they want !
I can hardly wait! I love that movie! And it’s about time that we put all Black actors/actresses into mainstream movies. We need to keep doing that, too, until it becomes a non-issue.
Putting a black cast in a movie that has already been done was and an academy award winner and all white cast. Comes off as a pathetic attempt to copy someone elses already success. Do an original movie and make it great.
You gotta be out of your mind!!!! Why are you going to insult to
remake a classic movie like that with actors that don’t compare
with the original cast….
Sorry as a black actress I am offended.
REALLY!?!? Please explain.
LOL, you explain why a remake directed towards skin color for the actors doesn’t offend you and then she may reply. You’re a liberal idiot with half a a brain and the half you have still doesn’t function. What an idiot liberals like you are …
@”Disappointed”…. What part are you offended by?
“Disappointed”, it takes so little. I doubt that there are very many things in this world that don’t offend you. Poor Baby!!!
wow do you feel good now calling her out. I would give her respect for being offended by a movie producer excluding other races from the movie purely to cast an all black cast. Some black people like disappointed realize just how similar that sounds to the 50′s sorta like when a war vet hears a gunshot just brings back awful memories. but then I guess they should just get over it too then right?
Basically, what is wrong today with SO many movie remakes & “revivals” on Broadway? Too little talent? Or just not the talent being allowed to “rise to the top.” Or is it an indictment of our failing schools & colleges?
I was “Babys” age at the time “Dirty Dancing” was set in & I so identify with the “feelings” of that era, not to mention the music. No remake can EVER hope to recapture it again. Sometimes it is best to leave well-enough alone.
Thank you, it would be like a bunch of white people trying to remake t “The Color Purple”. I am sure you could find some poor white people that can tell you about their poverty and upbringing.
But no one can every remake the greats. Just leave them alone.
Good idea. But if they ever remade a black movie with a white cast everyone would say its racist. Just saying.
I think that’s because the majority of black movies are specific to the characters being black.So to remake them with a white cast would be odd, not to mention the fact that you’d have to alter most of the script to make it fit white characters.
But, most movies with a majority white cast aren’t specific to the characters being white, so they can be adapted to a black cast without altering much.
But why bother? If being black doesn’t enhance the story line, what’s the point? Once again, hire a good writer and create someting anew.
I think there have been some cases where the conversion really has added something, although they are in the minority. “Death at a Funeral” comes to mind; that’s both a remake with a black cast and a remake with a US cast, so perhaps the latter is part of the difference (as opposed to the typical case, where it’s an original US movie being remade with a black cast, as is the case with “Steel Magnolias”). I saw the US version of “Death at a Funeral” before seeing the UK original, and it seemed so completely “black American” in its feel that it felt like an original movie.
But it might enhance the storyline.That story is a common story and it’s not really specific to white women, but it is kinda specific to Southern women.Because there are several differences across cultures, you may actually get a different story if you approach it from the POV of Southern black women.I’m not saying it will be a better film, but it may turn out to be an equally entertaining one, but coming from a different place.
I could see that a la Tyler Perry. I really didn’t like the original that much and a Black cast might bring more realness to the movie but Loretta Devine must be in it. I love Loretta Divine!
Also, unless you’re dealing with a powerhouse actor (such as Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours or Wesley Snipes in Passenger 57), if a black actor is in a primary role that’s *not* specifically black, it’s probably because the studios decided the story wasn’t “strong enough” for a white actor. That could even be said of Samuel L. Jackson’s role in “Snakes on a Plane”: The movie was weak on most of its attributes, and so the hook was hiring Sam to get the buzz going. It tried to sell itself on a single line that allegedly wasn’t even in the original script.
If a movie idea isn’t strong enough for white principals in the first place, it’s not likely to see a remake.
However, I do think that if a decent film where the race of the characters was largely irrelevant (e.g., 48 Hours or Passenger 57) were remade with white instead of black actors, there wouldn’t be any pronounced accusations of racism. Outcries of heresy, sure, just like the ones we’re seeing here, or the ones we see any time a classic is remade at all.
and yup, that is why this sh.t is RACIST.
so sick and tired of this crap….
a movie with whites can be written for ANYONE…yet a movie with blacks is written for BLACKS? What the f.ck is wrong with this picture.
But much of Steel Magnolias DID focus on a WHITE culture of very old wealth in the River Oaks section of Houston and the relationships among these women – not all of whom were rich. They captured the Houston woman of the time perfectly and that made the story much of what it was. This will be a sad remake if they try to just remake it – it will probably be a new story that just uses the name to draw in some viewers.
Terms of Endearment took place in River Oaks. Steel Magnolias took place in Louisiana.
it takes place in natchitoches louisiana
Really? I’d LOVE to see Waiting To Exhale remade. I think white women can relate to cheating husbands and single motherhood…. don’t you?
Seriously? Steel Magnolis is about the relationship between southern women from “old money” who are uptight and women who struggle to get by and have more modern ideas.
Where are you going to find a southern colored family with old money? Just like you can’t rewrite the color purple cause you can’t find any one who relates to white slaves.
…There are lots of old-moneyed black families, dating all the way back to slavery with the fair-skinned freed blacks.
Do you just think all black people are poor?
Yeah, you are right! This just adds to the double standards that the Obamanites bring to the table.
What would they remake? Boyz n the Hood? Precious? Mo Money??
Ghost Dad? Meteor Man?? I would love to watch the all-white versions of any of these.
I don’t want to see any version of either of those movies, including the originals.
A Raisin In the Sun, Waiting to Exhale, Brother from Another Planet, Brewster Place, She’s Gotta Have It.
I want to see an all white version of Pootie Tang. With Hugh Grant as the lead.
Victor, you are TOO funny!
I bet if they remade black movies into a white movie, it would be horrific. Hollywood needs to leave these old movies alone. I think their creativity has totally run out. Horrific, meaning it would not make any sense, you would have to change everything about the characters. The same visa versa.
Good job, Jason. You just won the false equivalency award of the year.
@Jason…. Yeah, there’s always SUCH a double standard there with the whole “racist” card. Blacks can do and say whatever the hell they want to and whites don’t get to make a big deal out of being offended; but when it’s the other way around and whites do or say something that could be completely innocent and not even have a single thing to do with racism, blacks throw a huge fit and temper tantrum and claim it is racist. I am not racist whatsoever, as I think it is completely wrong to judge people on things they can’t help and don’t have any control over, such as skin color. Likewise, it would be wrong (and just plain stupid) to judge someone on other things they can’t help such as eye color! However, that being said, I AM “racist” against how people BEHAVE because behavior IS something that EVERYONE has a choice about. You can’t decide if you want to be white or black but you CAN decide if you want to be an upstanding citizen or a lowlife gangster-acting-wannabe. If you want to be treated with respect and as an equal then behave as such, and be respectful to others around you. Oh and one last thing… for god’s sake… PLEASE knock off the bullshit double standard of “I am black and want to be equal to whites BUT I want people to recognize that I am black and annually hold a month-long celebration to commiserate my being black!” There is no “white history month” so if blacks really do want to be treated equally to whites, then why the hell do they have their own freakin’ month?!?!
Gosh, I never knew how tough things were for white people.
*love*
Whites have 11 months dedicated to White History.
Paul- You really haven’t been in a classroom in a long time have you?
Thank you, Paul.
thank politicians for that.
Hey Jenna.. stop posting comments like this because now people know how ignorant you really are!! You’re upset because there’s 28 days given to uplift a people that have been torn down and degrated for centuries?? And continue to be, to this day, by people like you! So “PLEASE REALLY knock off the BULLSHIT” and keep your asinine thoughts to yourself you bigot!
Maybe I’ve been living in shell or something for the last 20 years, but I thought racism was about dead. Only thing I can point to that’s made a huge difference in peoples attitude is the Obama/ Rev. White affair. I really could care less what the movie industry does or doesn’t do. It seems as though some are out to purposely stir up trouble though. First there was the all black Wizard of OZ that seemed to have no purpose, then there was The Princess and Frog. I mean really! Do black parents see their kids watching some all white cast and run over and turn the TV off? I kinda doubt it. My impression is that black movie makers and politicians are the prejudice ones out there blaming whites for their failed films and policies when it’s nothing more than bad movie making and bad policy making to begin with. Remaking movies is stupid anyway, it’s like going back to veiw the body again at a funeral to see if you missed something the first time. Are these folks incapable of making something original? I would think in the industry it would look bad. Kinda of like plagiarism. But go ahead..ya’ll reap was you sow in the end.
No one wants to be “equal to whites”. All Americans want the same rights as every other American. The problem that I have is that you seem to think the standard to be strived for is the white standard. Black History Month isn’t to commiserate about being black, it is to celebrate being black.
Jenna doll,
There is so much to address in your statement but it seems highly emotional for you and so I will just comment on what might be most helpful and instructional for you.
You said,
“I think it is completely wrong to judge people on things they can’t help and don’t have any control over, such as skin color”
I think your premise is wrong and so you are referring to skin color as a situation that Is- what- it -is and that somehow in a more perfect world your tender eyes wouldn’t have to be offended at the sight of lovely dark skin skin tones and likely phenotypes, not to mention the classic corporal perfection in the male and the female of the same… And you seem burdened to continually ignore and longsuffering-ly tolerate the presence of.. If only a perfect world for you….
No ma’am. The correct human to human viewpoint has a premise that creation IS PERFECT AS DELIVERED. (that would be full melanin, fully defined phenotype, curved and chiseled bodies)
And secondly stating that “….a month-long celebration to commiserate () being black” is only partially true.
Commiseration it is not. But it IS a celebration, It is a comfort, a ritual, an annual benchmark, a declaration, a cultural treatise and well I could go on and on. It is a single but not singular expression of the core of deep moral character that permits “the blacks” to continue assimilation, participation, tolerance, all other forms of support and yes even celebration of the larger culturally caucasian base in the mighty USA and still have mirth for the other minority groups during Hispanic month and Asian heritage month… Jenna, you do know that other minorities are “commiserating” annually too?
The script better be solid. Can’t wait to see who is cast….I. think Phylicia Rashad could be great for M’lynn.
Some movies just shouldn’t be remade aand Steel Magnolias’ is one.I can’t imagine any black actresses taking over the roles of Sally, Shirley, Daryll, Olympia, Julia, or Dolly. That is one movie that shouldn’t be touched. I have an idea if they are going to use an all black cast for Steel Magnolias’ lets have an all white cast for Waiting to Exhale, which could probably work. I’m jus’ sayin’
Wasn’t the first one bad enough?
Also, I’m pretty sure the white version of “Waiting to Exhale” was “He’s Not That Into You.”
I weep for our children and the trash that the American film industry is leaving behind for them.
Dumb move because I would imagine the majority of lifetime viewers are likely white and wouldn’t be interested in an all black remake (though I’m not sure how they are going to get an all black cast without a couple browns and tans getting in unless they use a color wheel at the door). This would likely find more traction on TBS or BET
Lifetime viewers are white and won’t be interested in a black movie?? Umm… just who do you think made The Help (both the book and the film) enormous financial successes? Go back to whatever Klan meeting you rolled out of please.
Black people come in all shades.
Also, and I’m not sure if you knew this, many black people can afford cable.
Clearly these guys get it! Sounds like a great idea. Also heard they are remaking Madea goes to Jail, because if you have great source material you just need to switch races for it to become fresh.
@Cohen…. LMFAO! That was an awesome point you made! LOLOL
Excellent point. I wonder if these guys are familiar with the tragedy that was, “The Honeymooners”, redux? That’s gotta rank neck-and-neck alongside “Howard the Duck”….
YYYYYEEEEEESSSSS!!! Now, this is the out-of-the-box thinking TV needs. Brilliant, Lifetime! Props to the execs that came up with this. More women/diversity needs to be on TV and this is a perfect way to do it! BRAVO! I mean, LIFETIME!!!
Earn that plant paycheck, Lisa. EARN IT!
Why remake anything? How is re-hashing old material ever “out-of-the box”? All this says is that there are no writers willing to go it on their own for the black community.
Perhaps, however consider “The Help” this movie as well as the book was a tribute to both races. I can’t remember when I have enjoyed a book or movie so much! It went straight to my heart and stayed there. For much the same reasons Steele Magnolias did. It was fresh, honest, and it stired just the right emotions to make you think, feel, and laugh trough tears at the trial and conquests of women. Powerful!
Indeed — the Lifetime Channel really needs to promote more women-based TV. Lisa, don’t ever apply for “undercover” work….
Kenny Leon is a really good director. Let’s see who will be cast and how this script will be adapted. There are a lot of out of work African-American actresses who could lend their talents to making this a quality movie. Kudos to Zadan and Meron for thinking outside the box!
I don’t think it even has to be out of work actresses.There’s enough of them working on TV.
I’ve never seen the film or play, but judging by the actresses and the age they were when the film was made, I can think of some current actresses for the roles.
CCH Pounder – Olympia Dukakis role
Phylicia Rash?d/Pam Grier – Shirley MacLaine role
Vivica A. Fox – Dolly Parton role
Viola Davis(not sure if she’d still do TV) – Sally Field role
Tatiana Ali – Daryl Hannah role
? – Julia Roberts
No!!!!! This movie should NOT be redone.
This just in: “Porgy & Bess” Starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway!
To be fair, Steel Magnolias is a well-run play that has had many staged adaptations performed over the years. This is less a “Dirty Dancing” situation, and more like “A Christmas Carol” or “Peter Pan.”
And given the strength of subject matter in the play, this could be very compelling with black actors.
in fact, a local playhouse has done this with an all-black cast so i don’t know what the uproar is about…
How much can we pay these people NOT to do this? I mean really there already aren’t ANY black films in the box office…zero black shows on prime time. With the exception of the black cartoon voiced by a white guy. Crappy black shows on cable. And now a remake of sparkle and a remake of steel magnolias this is just awful.what is going on people???????????????
This is good news. Now Daniel Tosh can be considered for the role of “Buggin’ Out” in a remake of “Do the Right Thing!”
All jokes aside, I would watch the heck outta that.
Looking forward to Soul Food being remade with a bunch of honkies. It’s called Microwave Diners. That, or Liquor and Pepperoni.
Surprised Tyler Perry hasn’t already done this. “Madea’s Magnolias,’ anyone?
The rush to judgment from all sides over such a non-controversial idea is astonishing. This project makes sense for Lifetime as they strive to attract more African American viewers. It makes sense for Storyline, which has a solid reputation with female-driven movies. And it’s a great opportunity for actresses from 20 to 70 (there are plenty of out-of-work performers no matter what color their skin is). So calm down folks. You may just enjoy the results!
cheers- yours was smartest thing i have read on this comment thread.
Great post, J-Man.
Says a man from the perspective of a ratings whore. Maybe try taking other factors into account other than attracting viewers. And really does that make it better? Doesn’t change the fact that it is being remade solely to recreate it with black actors. I suppose they could have done worse by just photo-shopping them to be black but this isn’t too far off.
Janora McDuffie would be an AMAZING Shelby!! twitter.com/janoramcduffie
JANORA would be EXCELLENT! Great suggestion! She’s terrific as the social worker on GREY’S ANATOMY.
It’s worth noting that Leon directed a mixed-race version of “Steel Magnolias” for his True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta. At the time, though, he didn’t alter the script.
Thank goodness! There was a hole in my heart that only an all-black cast remake of an ’80s chick flick could fill!
I think ALL all-white movies should be redone with all-black casts.
I can’t wait to see the all-white remake of “The Color Purple.” It will be titled “The Colorless Purple.”
OK. THAT was funny.
LOL!!!!
The gay version–The Color Mauve.
I will ONLY watch this if Tyler Perry takes on the Shirley MacLaine role, Marlan Wayans takes on the Julia Roberts role and Martin Lawrence takes on the Dolly Parton role.
Jason, you really don’t know what your talking about…
I’D LIKE TO SEE ” THE COLOR PURPLE ” WITH AN ALL WHITE CAST . . .
Don’t hate
There are a lot of white people in The Color Purple. I am just sayin…..
Yes please a remake cause Death at a Funeral was GREAT with that ALMOST all Black cast- ne Luke W and Peter D..
Puke if you suspect sarcasm..
I’ve seen both, and let me tell you the Chris Rock version was MUCH funnier than the British version. I suspect you never even saw it.
Uh, remember Honey Mooners done black was a Box Office flop. So, go ahead, throw that money away.
Oops — didn’t see this post. You’re absolutely right.