Quote:Originally posted: March 14, 2006
[SIZE="5"]And they say Hollywood has run out of great ideas [/SIZE]

"Welcome Back, Kotter" and John Travolta are headed for the big screen but not together. Variety reports that Ice Cube will star in "Welcome Back, Kotter" (as the title character originated by Gabe Kaplan), and Travolta has been tapped (though not yet signed) to play J.R. Ewing in the movie adaptation of "Dallas" alongside Jennifer Lopez (as Sue Ellen Ewing) and Luke Wilson (as Bobby Ewing).

Directing the "Kotter" movie for the Weinstein Brothers will be Tom Brady of "The Hot Chick" fame (no word on who’ll play Arnold Horshack), while "Monster-in-Law" director Robert Luketic is making "Dallas" for Fox.

With such high-powered talent involved, how could these remakes possibly stink? After all, the TV-to-movies bar was set pretty high with last year’s "Bewitched," "The Honeymooners" and "The Dukes of Hazzard."

(Gulp.)

If Travolta actually stars in "Dallas," filming will have to wait till he’s done stepping into Divine’s (and Harvey Fierstein’s) shoes as hefty transvestite Edna Turnblad in the musical remake of "Hairspray."

Travolta has been waiting years to star in a musical, trying to launch a "Guys and Dolls" or "Pal Joey" remake and turning down the Richard Gere role in "Chicago" because it wasn’t big enough.

Edna Turnblad, bless her heart, is big enough.

Yet somehow I picture Travolta calling career-revival specialist Quentin Tarantino after the double whammy of "Hairspray" and "Dallas" — unless someone offers him a "Gomer Pyle" movie first.

Gerald Rice Wrote:But to completely contradict myself I am looking forward to the Transformers live action movie. I guess it's because there's a deal of risk with switching it from a cartoon.