Knight Rider - Original Development & Pilot Episode Discussion Thread

[KryptonSite]

This is the coolest news I've read in a while... from Variety today:

NBC taps Liman for 'Knight Rider'
Network readying two-hour backdoor pilot
By JOSEF ADALIAN
Liman


Original 'Knight Rider' was a hit for NBC from 1982-86.

NBC is bringing back "Knight Rider," tapping Doug Liman to produce a "Transformers"-inspired reworking of the 1980s hit action-drama series about a man and his indestructible supercar.
Peacock is readying a two-hour backdoor pilot for the project, with tentative plans to air it as a telepic later this season. Liman is open to the idea of directing, assuming his feature sked allows. If the telepic clicks, a new-model "Knight Rider" could be on the air as early as next fall.

Dave Andron ("Raines") is writing the pilot script and will serve as supervising producer alongside exec producers Liman and Dave Bartis ("The O.C.," "Heist") for Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Prods.

Success of "Transformers" had a role in inspiring NBC Entertainment chief Ben Silverman's decision to revive "Knight." The thinking is that smallscreen f/x have advanced to the point where it'd be feasible to have a weekly series in which cars shift shapes.

It's also likely the new show will explore the idea of "evil" cars to offset the heroic talking K.I.T.T. car of the original skein, which starred David Hasselhoff. That said, skein is expected to essentially remain focused on the story of a single man fighting for justice with the help of his superadvanced car.

There's also huge potential for advertiser integration. General Motors was all over "Transformers," and it's easy to see NBC striking a rich deal with a single automaker to serve as the exclusive auto brand for the new "Knight." It's understood preliminary talks have already begun.

Peacock is also veering from current conventional wisdom by moving forward with a telepic/backdoor pilot for "Knight." Nets rarely produce telepics with an eye on turning them into series anymore, in part because the telepic has essentially disappeared from the broadcast network scene.

But NBC execs no doubt feel "Knight Rider" is enough of a pre-sold brand to lure an audience. What's more, the telepic could serve as a good replacement for repeats come spring, perhaps replacing an encore of "Heroes" or "Bionic Woman."

"Knight" originally aired on NBC from 1982 until 1986, with Hasselhoff playing smooth crimefighter Michael Knight. A spinoff skein, "Team Knight Rider," aired in syndication during the 1997-98 season.

Project was put together by CAA and Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment.

Glen Larson created the original "Knight Rider" for Universal Television.

[Randy G.]

I heard about this a few weeks ago, & even had this wallpaper of the new KITT on my MySpace (including sound effects of KITT's sensor of course). I'd love to see a retooling of the series.
I wasn't into "Team Knight Rider," but loved the original Knight Rider.
Ahh..... you've got me reminiscing now. Remember Bonnie?

Here's that wallpaper.



Randy G.

[warriorrenegade]

If these new "supercars" are so advanced then why have people driving them? Just call the show Transformers and get it over with. Don't get me wrong I loved the KnightRider growing up, but this just sounds like Transformers to me. I mean Good Kitt/shapeshifting cars against Evil Kitt/ shapeshifting cars....thats Transformers.

[InLove_with_Chloe]

I'll only watch it if it starrs David Hasselhoff again!!!
Preferably DRUNK.

Oh man......KR was cult in Germany.

[krpto]

Wow I hope its good

[Exodus2000]

Wow...well....the first Knight Rider was excellent...and Team Knight Rider was deplorable....and lets not forget the 2 movies

but hey....i guess if NBC has nothing better to do...or anything creative to come up with....then...sure why not....

If Peter Cullen comes back and does the voice for K.A.R.R......i'll watch.....at least i'll watch that episode.

[pycer]

Wow...what else can really be said about that? I was a fan back in the day, but then against I was like 5 sooo...I have that morbid curiosity kinda feel to this, kinda like I had with the Transformers movie at first, and that turned out well, so who knows? Hehe, think we will see the A-Team reamerge next?

[STFanatic]

What???
Oh man!!
Knight Rider?
This is the first I have heard of it.
I hope my expectations aren't too high on this and get shot down like I did with Battelstar Galactica.
I was jazzed to the extreme when I heard about BSG, man was I let down. I have seen exactly two episodes of BSG.

[Xanderman]

Can't wait for this movie. (I don't think it's going to be a tv series)

Thanks for posting that wallpaper Randy, it's awesome. Did you make that?

[Heroes]

[TML]

Originally posted by Heroes

I think that car is great, always loved it:
http://www.koenigsegg.com/

[TMLS]

It was confirmed, probably a year ago even, that "that" KITT was a fan creation, sadly. The new KITT is being built from a unique design with a few car companies' input.

[KryptonSite]

That new KITT looks really cool... too bad it's a fan creation.

[STFanatic]

When I win the Lottery, I am gonna build one

But the voice will be Homer Simpson's

[Xanderman]

Lol

Homer: Go, Knight Boat, go!
Marge: Ok, TV off. It's family time.
Homer: Oh, but Marge! Knight Boat! The crime SOLVING boat!

[STFanatic]

Mmmmm... tire donut....drool.....

OMG this is my 5000th post!!!

[KryptonSite]

Justin Bruening has been cast as the son of Michael Knight for this new series:

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-ju...p-tv-headlines

[xrayvision]

This sounds awesome, but I don't think they should make KITT like a Transformer. They should have KITT be a suped up car again. I love Transformers, but they should keep the 2 as seperate things.

I haven't heard anything about Glen Larson. Will he be involved? I think he owns the copyrights for the characters in Knight Rider (Michael, Devon, Bonnie, April, FLAG, KITT, KARR, Garthe, Goliath, etc).

I really wanted them to use a Trans Am again for KITT's body since that's the car they always used (in Knight Rider 2000, they used the Banshee, which was the concept that became the next generation Trans Am). But the problem is Pontiac isn't making the Trans Ams anymore after 2002. It would be great if they used the 2002 model (which I bought) and supe it up even more. That car without any adjustments looks great, but with them would look really wild. If the Camaro (also an F body car like the Trans Am), which is supposed to return in 2009 wasn't so retro looking, I would think using it would be a great idea.

I always loved the hidden (pop up) lights that KITT had. It made KITT seem so much more sleek than if he would have been designed with the regular headlights.

My brother sent me this article:

http://tv.yahoo.com/show/34853/news/...0ed8__ER:70016

So my question is, will it be called Knight Rider again, or Son of Knight Rider?

[constantine]

I like that they're giving a nod to the original knight rider and inded the previous failed attempts to bring it back...I really hope, at the same time they don't rush this because of larson's attempt to get a movie made is (probably) happening. So basically, I should stress that larson is NOT involved in the TV series...There's a lot of hostility around it. And current consensus is that it'll just be called knight rider.

remember the wise words of kiss: "keep it simple, stupid."

[xrayvision]

Crap, Larson isn't involved? I hope they don't destroy the magic of the original series and hope they make Michael's son be like him in many ways and not a cocky a-hole, like so many other characters on TV are lately.