Ice Cube to star in "Welcome Back Kotter" movie
deb...@comcast.net
Bring out the Welcome wagon.
Ice Cube has signed on to play the title role in a film adaptation of
the classic 1970s TV series Welcome Back, Kotter, it was announced
Tuesday.
As part of his deal with Dimension Films, Cube will also coproduce the
redo of the former ABC series that turned John Travolta into a
household name.
"There was no bigger fan of the original show than me, and I'm very
excited to be able to put a new twist on it," the Barbershop star tells
Variety.
Cube will play the titular Gabe Kotter, a slacker turned teacher who
returns to his inner-city alma mater and who sees himself in the new
batch of underprivileged troublemakers. He works to inspire the
seemingly apathetic students, known as the Sweathogs.
The gang of kids is led by scatterbrained himbo Vinnie Barbarino,
played in the original incarnation by Travolta. The original 'hogs also
included the super suave Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington (originally
played by Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), the tough-talking Juan Luis Pedro
Phillipo de Huevos Epstein ( Robert Hegyes), and nasally nerd
Arnold Dingfelder Horshack ( Ron Palillo) and were responsible for
injecting retorts like "up your nose with a rubber hose" into the
cultural vernacular.
Gabe Kaplan, who played Kotter in the original 1975-79 series, also
created the show with partner Alan Sacks and retained the rights. He
said that despite heavy interest from studios over the years, they held
out on adapting Kotter until the right pitch came along.
"We were skeptical about selling Kotter because making a great movie
from a TV show can be challenging," Kaplan said in a statement. "After
meeting with the Weinsteins [Harvey and Bob Weinstein run Dimension],
we knew they were the right ones to bring this project to the screen."
No word on whether any of the original stars will make cameos in the
film, though if the recent influx of box office remakes are any
indication, it's highly likely that some of the old gang will pay their
respects. Likewise, we assume that Cube will give a hip-hop spin to the
classic "Welcome Back" theme song, originally crooned by John
Sebastian.
The Hot Chick's Tom Brady has signed on to write and direct Kotter.
Production is expected to kick off this fall, after filming is complete
on Cube's next project, Are We Done Yet?, a sequel to last year's
surprise hit Are We There Yet?, which happens to be another
remake--this time based loosely on Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse.
Cameras roll on that film in Vancouver this June.