Just as Kevin Smith was gearing up to reboot his cult classic to the small screen with Mallrats, so too now is the 1988 comedy Heathers. According to THR, the pre-production process is happening as we speak and the studio is outlining plot details. Budgets are being considered and some casting decisions have already been made.
The rehashing of the show has come about courtesy of the Viacom-owned cable network TV Land. James Scully will take on the role of Jason "J.D." Dean, originally played by Christian Slater. 21-year old Grace Victoria Cox will take on Winona Ryder's character Veronica Sawyer. Like the film, the character will serve as narrator in the series. The network has hired Jason Micallef to write a series to the likes of FX's Fargo.
Black Comedy Flopped At The Box Office But Maintains A Cult Following
The small $3m budget for the original picture made some 28 years ago finished with a loss of $1.9m. An obvious clue how the black comedy did not resonate at the time with audiences during a conservative time in cinema. The story focused on renegade boyfriend J.D. (Slater) killing off the rivals of his girlfriend Veronica (Ryder), centered mainly on the clique that was the Heathers.
One of the popular trio was played by Shannon Doherty, an actress that would have much more joy on the small screen as her career blossomed in the 90s. The 45-year old, who is currently battling breast cancer, starred in Beverly Hills 90210, Charmed and also happened to play a part in Smith's Mallrats.
Ryder and Slater Now Stars Of The Small Screen Themselves
Once upon a time they were Hollywood regulars in cinema. Now Winona Ryder and Christian Slater are enjoying something of a renaissance with different television projects that have both received critical acclaim. While they each have had their off camera issues to deal with, particularly Ryder and her shoplifting episodes, the Netflix smash Stranger Things and the USA Network drama Mr. Robot with Slater have set the standard for modern entertainment programs.
The respective series are far from happy-go-lucky and maintain very dark tones throughout, indicating that both actors are keen to venture outside their comfort zones more often than not. Although fans of Heathers will be glad to see it revived, it cannot be the same without Ryder and Slater.
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