Richard Gere starred in a 1980s film called American Gigolo. In it he played a high-profile gigolo who was pimped out to service a couple, one of who soon turns up dead. Well, the 1980 film is about to be turned into a present-day TV series with Neil LaBute writing the script. Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman will executive produce and the original movie’s director, Paul Schrader, will act as a creative consultant.
Here’s the full plot of the original movie.
Julian (Richard Gere), a gigolo, commands high prices for his services, living a lavish if emotionally unattached lifestyle under the management of Anne (Nina van Pallandt). While secretly working for pimp Leon (Bill Duke), Julian is assigned to service Mr. Rheiman (Tom Stewart) and his wife, Judy (Patti Carr), but leaves when their violent requests make him nervous. When Mrs. Rheiman is found dead and no one is willing to testify on his behalf, Julian finds himself the primary suspect.
Paramount Television are behind the new project and the plot is said to be based around that of the original.
Other movies set to be turned into TV shows include The Italian Job, Shutter Island, School of Rock, the Jack Ryan franchise, Sneakers,Enemy of the State, The Departed, The Lost Boys, Let the Right One In, War of the Worlds and Varsity Blues. A new trend?
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Michel BLANC
Nov 21, 2016 at 8:54 pm
I really love this 1979/80 movie, but it depicts a defunct era – as witnessed by the featured LA ‘landmarks’ that are now destroyed or deeply changed (Westwood Hotel, Perino’s, Juschi boutique, the Probe, Leon’s bar…).
Julian-Richard is turning 70, his aging customers of the time are certainly 6 feet under, so the magic of this Hollywood chromo is gone forever outside the records.
If the idea of a series is appealing, I really wonder how it could be stretched with lasting plots and cliffhangers at each episode’s end.
Presence of original producer Jerry B. & director P. Schrader is a kind of guarantee anyway.
Outside the tone and atmosphere of the original work that have to be recreated one way or the other, the cast will be critical. Who to play the next Julie and Michelle?