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Dallas Gets A New Director
Betty Thomas takes on the troubled adap

24 August 2007  |  Written by Olly Richards  


Although roughly no people in the world are begging for its existence and everyone is managing to get on with their lives without it, you've got to admire the pluck of the Dallas movie in forging ahead in the face of boundless adversity. Having been through more directors than JR had ten-gallon hats, it has now picked up another.

After Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde) dropped out over casting differences, he was replaced by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham), who has now been replaced – for unspecified reasons – by Betty Thomas (and not, as I just wrote, Betty White from The Golden Girls). Thomas is most experienced in comedic adaptations of TV series from the very good (The Brady Bunch Movie, I Spy, Doctor Dolittle). So she's got some form in this area.

This does, however, show that the movie has abandoned any of its original ideas of making a dramatic version in favour of all-out comedy. It could, based on Thomas's previous movies, be full on spoof. The script is even being re-written by Pam Brady, who wrote the recent comedy Hot Rod.

The movie is still largely without a cast. Last year it was said that the movie was ready to go with John Travolta as JR, Luke Wilson as Bobby, Meg Ryan (who replaced Jennifer Lopez) as Sue Ellen and Shirley Maclaine as Miss Ellie. None were confirmed, but Wilson spoke of being in the movie in interviews. All bar Travolta were subsequently dumped and the producers are now seeking stars to fill all the other gaps. Production is scheduled to begin in January.

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Your Comments

no just no hopefully the film falls through because of the strike and John Travolta get's a hefty fine for global warming for his planes More

Posted by Tony Soprano at 22:10 on 26 August 2007 | Report This Post

Not Looking Too Good
Okay I never saw a point in making a film of the popular (god knows why) TV series Dallas. It was a poor show but now we will hae to endure a poor movie. I'm glad their taking it as a comedy as even a dramtic piece of cinema, it would have been laughed at through-out. Betty Thomas. Hmmm. Yet another bad film to add to her list! More

Posted by Filmfreak666 at 20:42 on 26 August 2007 | Report This Post

no they should slap the person who suggested a dallas film i would rather go to the dentist than watch this More

Posted by Tony Soprano at 16:27 on 24 August 2007 | Report This Post

This is Definately
the right direction to take this, The Brady Bunch movie was great if they do that to Dallas it could be as good as starsky and hutch ;-) More

Posted by badmartin at 11:51 on 24 August 2007 | Report This Post

This movie will suck more than pirates 3 John T needs to get back to good acting More

Posted by Tony Soprano at 09:45 on 24 August 2007 | Report This Post


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