File this particular brand of news underwop baba lumop a wap bam why though?Paramount isreportedlygearing up for a prequel toGrease, titledSummer Loving, which will assumedly work to answer age-old questions like “did you get very far?”, “like does he have a car?”, and “did she put up a fight?“Wow, that last one is extremely un-chill. 1978, man.
The studio has tappedJohn Augustto pen the script. The writer is a long-time collaborator ofTim Burton, starting with the script for 2003’sBig Fishand continuing on throughCharlie and the Chocolate Factory,Corpse Bride, andFrankenweenie. He also co-wrote both of the early-2000sCharlie’s Angelsfilms. August has two more high-profile projects just over the horizon; he co-wrote the script along withGuy Ritchiefor Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin movie and is one of five credited writers on theScary Stories to Tell in the Darkfilm.
The original Grease—which itself was based on the 1971 musical byJim JacobsandWarren Casey—starredJohn TravoltaandOlivia Newton-Johnas a greaser named Danny and a brainy transfer student named Sandy who strike up a romance over one fateful summer; star-crossed high school lovers who literally rode a flying car into pop culture history. The film got a sequel (a superior film, fight me), but the original is still hanging around in one form or another. In 2016, Fox staged a live(!) performance of the musical starringAaron TveitandJulianne Houghin the two main roles.
No word yet on exactly how August plans to bring this story to life, but the way I see it we have three options here. 1) ARashomon-style contrasting story with both Danny and Sandy serving as unreliable narrators, 2) We do thisWet Hot American Summer: First Day of Campstyle and the original cast just returns without it ever being addressed, or 3) They just do a straight rom-com, in which case the only question is whether thatHe-Manmovie would conflict withNoah Centineoplaying Danny Zuko.
