New ‘Bewitched’ Movie in the Works at Sony Based on the Classic Sitcom

Maybe it’s because lots of people were watching WandaVision over the past few weeks and that show’s structure facilitated discussion of classic sitcoms being thrust back into the popular consciousness, but for some reason, Sony is trying to make another Bewitched movie. The new film will be based on the classic 1960s television show about a witch (Elizabeth Montgomery) who marries a mortal man and tries to live a “normal” life in the suburbs, but who frequently uses her magic while trying to keep her powers a secret. Of course, Sony already tried this back in 2005, and…it did not go well.

Deadline reports that Sony is developing a new Bewitched movie, with Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett (MacGyver, 12 Monkeys) writing the screenplay. John Davis (Predator) and John Fox (Dolemite is My Name) are set to produce. The outlet reports that this new version will be “different” than the 2005 Nora Ephron-directed movie, which starred Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.

Different, huh? You don’t say! Let me get this straight: you’re telling me Sony will not be making two Bewitched movies that center on a studio creating a remake of the classic TV series? One in which the blustering lead actor stumbles across a woman he doesn’t realize is a real witch and convinces her to audition for the show, only for the witch to eventually cast a love spell on the actor and the two of them end up jostling for screen time on the show within the movie? Sony is going to do something “different” than that, eh? Shocker!

The question now becomes: what is the new take for a Bewitched movie? I imagine Sony will get raked over the coals if they try to make a straight-ahead remake of the TV show concept, about a witch who wants nothing more than to settle down into domestic suburban bliss. (And that would be boring, anyway.) I guess we’ll have to wait and see if these two screenwriters will be able to generate a resonant story about a female witch who must keep her powers a secret. Personally, I have my doubts about the viability of this property to serve as the source material for yet another movie, but we’re living in full-blown IP hell at this point, so it should not come as a surprise that a studio would desperately want to move forward with something that has name recognition.

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