Fox to Reboot GREATEST AMERICAN HERO with 22 JUMP STREET Directors

When one talks about classic ’80s television, there are shows like Miami Vice, The Equalizer, Magnum P.I., and MacGyver, but few are as remembered as fondly as the series that had a theme song that hit #2 on the Billboard charts, The Greatest America Hero. The series followed the adventures of Ralph Hinkley, who, after meeting a bunch of aliens, is given a suit that makes him a superhero. However, in classic ’80s fashion, Ralph quickly loses the instruction booklet to the suit he hates wearing and is forced to discover its power through – often comical – trial and error.

For years there have been rumors that Hollywood was looking at ways to bring the 80s staple back from the dead, and usually those rumors involved a feature film reboot of the series. However, according to Deadline, it seems those plans are long dead as Fox has teamed up with Phil Lord & Chris Miller (who will serve as executive producers) to create a new version of the series for the upcoming development season.

The modern iteration will be written by 22 Jump Street scribe Rodney Rothman, and will follow “inner-city teacher Isaac’s adventures after his discovery of a superhero suit which gives him superhuman abilities. Unfortunately, he hates wearing the suit, and has to learn how to use its powers by trial and error because he quickly misplaces the suit’s instructions. He also has to deal with a government handler who has very different objectives than him and struggles as to whether he should use his newfound gifts to help others or just himself.”

So it sounds like the new series won’t differ to greatly from its predecessor, but more importantly, Lord & Miller are attached, and after the duo made LEGOs even cooler than they already were, we’re willing to trust them to do absolutely anything they want to do. And, hey, we have it on good authority that Nathan Fillion is interested in playing the lead role.

Why would Nathan Fillion jump ship to Fox (who cancelled his last series on their network before finishing a season) when he's already got a successful series on another network?

"The superhero I have my eye on—Greatest American Hero! I think he’s due for a re-do, it’s a role I’m comfortable in, as far as a “fish out of water” guy not prepared for what’s ahead of him, lots of heart, no strength, no plan, no experience, not the — doesn’t have the make-up, the genetic make-up, to do what’s ahead of him, but has to find it within himself with a tool he does not know how to use in this super-suit. I think Greatest American Hero is due for a re-do, and I want to do it."

Fillion's a bit over rated in general but I think he's just plain too old for the lead role, but he'd ok for the government handler role.

Female-Led 'Greatest American Hero' Nabs ABC Pilot Pickup

ABC is moving forward with its female-driven reboot of The Greatest American Hero.

The Disney-owned network has handed out a formal pilot order to the single-camera, half-hour comedy that follows Meera, a 30-year-old Indian-American woman from Cleveland, Ohio, whose talents include drinking tequila, singing karaoke and not much else.

Fresh Off the Boat writer-producer Rachna Fruchbom penned the pilot and executive produces alongside FOTB showrunner/creator Nahnatchka Khan; her producing partner, Mandy Summers; and original series creator Stephen J. Cannell's daughter, TV director Tawnia McKiernan (Criminal Minds, Blue Bloods). The project hails from 20th Century Fox Television, where Khan's Fierce Baby banner is based, which will co-produce the potential series alongside ABC Studios as co-productions continue to be a big trend this pilot season.