Modern reinterpretations of popular 1980s properties have been big business for some time, but one that has so far remained practically untouched is the action crime seriesKnight Rider. That is all set to change thanks toAquaman’sJames Wan, who recently came on board to produce a big screen adventure for titular hero Michael Knight and his assistant, the self-aware, talking automobile, KITT. Now, original star David Hasselhoff has made his feelings known regarding the upcoming reboot, as well as revealing that he has been trying to bringKnight Riderto theaters for the last decade.
“The details I can share are I have an emotional hand in it and I have a passion. The guy who’s writing it is a major Knight Rider fan. He sent me a picture of him in the Knight Rider car. His name is T.J. Fixman. The concept, I don’t really know. I threw my hat in the ring as ‘nostalgia meets Knight Rider of today,’ which is not a new Knight Rider, but a continuation of it. They want to do a script that has my approval on it. Whether I’m in it or not, or whether I approve of it, the answer is: I don’t know.”
So, while it sounds like Hasselhoff is being kept mostly in the dark about theKnight Rider reboot, the actor was at least given the opportunity to throw his in his two cents. Which is only right considering his role in the series along with his continued passion for reigniting the franchise. Hasselhoff detailed how he has held onto that passion for the last decade, attempting to get a theatricalKnight Rideradventure off the ground to no avail.
Along with explaining the reasons why theproperty has been taken out of his hands, Hasselhoff issues a stark warning to the creative team behind theKnight Riderreboot. Make no mistake, you do not want to hassle The Hoff.
“But I had the rights for about 10 years to Knight Rider, and I couldn’t get a bite. And these guys have it now because of the timing, because of the resurgence of nostalgia, because the guy who’s doing it gets it. It’s not about a talking car. It’s about the relationship between Michael and KITT. And it’s also about the action and ‘one man can make a difference.’ And if they do that, I’ll probably support it. If they don’t do that, they’ve hassled The Hoff.”
Knight Rideroriginally ran from 1982 to 1986 and was aired on NBC. StarringDavid Hasselhoffas Michael Knight, our adventure begins when our hero takes a near fatal shot to the face. Given a new identity thanks to enhanced plastic surgery, Knight becomes the primary field agent in the pilot program of his public justice organization, the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG). Assisted by the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT), a heavily modified, technologically advanced Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, Michael and KITT are brought in during situations where “direct action might provide the only feasible solution”.
While plot details for the reboot are scarce, it has been described as a “present-day take that will maintain the anti-establishment tone of the original,” which should hopefully be enough to satisfy The Hoff. This comes to us fromConsequence of Sound.
