Huff creator Bob Lowry and actor Hugh Jackman have teamed for Viva Blackpool, a high-concept light drama project for CBS.
CBS snagged the project in spirited bidding with two other networks, giving it a hefty seven-figure pilot commitment.
Based on the successful BBC miniseries, Viva Blackpool tells the story of Ripley Holden, a sleazy but charismatic low-end casino owner whose dream is to cash in and open a five-star megaresort on the Las Vegas Strip. Like the BBC series, the CBS version will have a murder mystery at its center and will feature the cast bursting into song-and-dance numbers.
Jackman, who has deep roots in musical theater, will guest-star in the pilot. He also is expected to serve as an executive producer.
Jackman won a Tony for his starring role in the Broadway musical The Boy From Oz. On the big screen, he will next appear in Chris Nolan's The Prestige, which opens Friday, and The Fountain. Next year he is set to star opposite Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrmann's yet-untitled period drama for 20th Century Fox.
Lowry created and executive produced the critically praised drama Huff for Showtime. His series credits also include Lifetime's Any Day Now and NBC's Profiler.
It's not a "BCC port", but a "BBC port" and I found the BBC version to be only OK, trying to cross a drama with the Dennis Potter style of "The Singing Detective" or "Pennies From Heaven" (i.e. cast bursting into song for no reason whatsoever).Quite why a lukewarm UK show *needs* to have a US remake is beyond me - why not just show the original and be done with it? What is it with US networks and their obsession of remaking not-that-great UK shows into US versions (think "Coupling" as a recent pointless exercise)?Yes, the UK does it with US game shows and some US reality shows, but never with dramas or comedies, the latter of which should never be remade in either direction, IMHO.
"will feature the cast bursting into song-and-dance numbers"What the heck are they thinking.
sounds interesting... but I wont be checking it out
I hope this is not another "Smith" for CBS. I will never understand how that show got a "green light".
The original was a bizarre but original piece of work (if a tad disjointed at times), I can't see this not working in a Vegas setting to be honest. I totally recommend anyone who missed out to catch the original first to get a feel of what's to be expected.
For now, it sounds promising, but will they keep in the slightly (at times) off-key singing by each character?