Nigel Lythgoe to Bring 'Fame' Revival to Small Screen
Nigel Lythgoe will be bringing the Fame franchise to the small screen again. Lythgoe, along with partners MGM, says his modern take on the 1980 movie musical will "expose the gritty struggle, heartache and pain endured in the search for stardom and the often lofty price paid for success, much the way the original did."
The original Fame has already inspired an '80s t.v. series, a stage production and a largely disappointing 2009 feature film remake. MGM was also responsible for the 2009 movie that was widely critically panned and flopped at the box office, however they are hopeful that Lythgoe's "unmatched experience with telling the true stories of talented people striving for success will set Fame apart.”
Nigel, who is best know as an executive producer and judge for American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, thinks he can bring a unique perspective to the project saying, “In my lifetime, I’ve discovered a great many incredibly talented individuals. Some have achieved stardom. Simultaneously, I’ve seen many dreams shattered, egos destroyed and lives changed forever. The end destination may well be fame and fortune, but the road to stardom is littered with broken hearts. I look forward to stripping away the glitter and glamour and revealing the true mixture of passion, humanity, exhaustion and sacrifice that these richly talented individuals endure on their road to fame.”
I find the timing of this project to be interesting. With Lythgoe's reality franchises Idol and SYTYCD both seeing sharp ratings declines along with similar projects such as Smash and Glee garnering lower than hoped for ratings last year, I have to wonder if MGM really thinks they can revive a fading genre or if they are just hoping to cash in on a license they already paid for before interest fades completely.
The project is still in the very early stages, with THR reporting that they haven't even hired a writer yet, let alone begun casting. I love these kinds of shows, so I am hopeful that Nigel and company can learn from their own and other's mistakes and bring something fresh and entertaining to the genre.
