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So far, the Hollywood remake machine has begun to reboot (technically speaking, continue) the Vacation movie franchise, but has otherwise stayed away from any other films written and/or directed by the late John Hughes back in the 1980s. That changes today, with the announcement that Universal Pictures and producer Joel Silver are remaking the cult comedy Weird Science for a new generation.
Hughes wrote and directed the original film (which featured Silver as a producer) and it reached theaters seven months after Hughes released The Breakfast Club in February of 1985. The off-beat coming of age story/fantasy revolves around two nerdy teens (Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith) who use their computer – and the power of SCIENCE! – to generate the perfect woman (Kelly LeBrock).
Deadline, which has the exclusive on this story, says that Universal has entrusted Michael Bacall with the responsibility of scripting the remake, which is going to be “an edgier R-rated comedy in line with 21 Jump Street and The Hangover.” For those who don’t recognize the name: Bacall wrote the story and script for Project X, in addition to co-writing the scripts for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street and next year’s 21 Jump Street sequel.
Needless to say, an “edgier R-rated” spin on Weird Science falls within Bacall’s jurisdiction; though, I can guarantee there’s one thing the remake won’t have that the original offered – this ’80s-tastic Oingo Boingo music video!
Jokes aside, though, I get that Hughes’ original Weird Science movie is pretty dated nowadays – between the old-school computer graphics, LeBrock’s wild ’80s hairdo and a baby-faced Robert Downey Jr. hamming it up as a high school bully – and it teaches life lessons that remain as important as ever for young people, who are the target audience for this 21st-century makeover edition (much like The Karate Kid or the gestating WarGames remake).
That said, Hughes (during his ’80s heyday, anyway) was a master filmmaker in the art of combining broad comedy with earnest drama and sympathy for the plight of adolescents. Bacall’s helped give Scott Pilgrim and 21 Jump Street a healthy mix of humor and heart, but with only Project X (read Screen Rant‘s review) to recommend him as a solo writer in this genre, well… I need to know who’s directing this thing, before I can throw my support behind it.
How do you feel about Weird Science getting a remake?
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