‘Smokey and the Bandit’ Series From Seth MacFarlane & Danny McBride in the Works

Meaghan Darwish October 21, 2020, 1:45 pm

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Sally Field and Burt Reynolds in Smokey the Bandit, 1977 — Courtesy of the Everett Collection

Smokey and the Bandit is coming back to your screens! Seth MacFarlane and Danny McBride are teaming up to bring a new iteration of the beloved ’70s and ’80s film franchise to TV.

While no network is currently attached to the project, Universal Content Productions is busy setting up a team to revive the story. David Gordon Green (Eastbound and Down) and Brian Sides are set to co-write the series, which will be executive produced by Rough House Pictures’ Danny McBride, Jody Hill and Brandon James as well as Fuzzy Door’s Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, this program “inspired by the genre of ’70s and ’80s drive-in double features” will explore where humble realities meet exciting and larger-than-life moments.

The original movie, which debuted in 1977, followed Bandit (Burt Reynolds), who is tasked with running a trailer full of beer over state lines as a sheriff pursues him. That first film spurred two sequels, one in 1980 and another in 1983, and the franchise included such stars as Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Paul Williams, Mike Henry, and Pat McCormick.

Green, who is in the running to direct the possible pilot, told THR, “Growing up in the south, Smokey and the Bandit was an iconic franchise for me. The legacy of these characters is a playground of swagger and sass that I’m excited to dig into.”