Thurber pulls Uni's trigger to 'Magnum' 24 January 2006 (The Hollywood Reporter) Rawson Marshall Thurber has signed on to write and direct the big-screen adaptation of Magnum P.I. for Universal Pictures. Brian Grazer will produce the feature via his Imagine Entertainment banner. Magnum P.I., the 1980-88 CBS series created by Glen Larson and Don Bellisario, followed the adventures of Thomas Magnum, a Navy intelligence officer-turned-private investigator hired by wealthy author and playboy Robin Masters to oversee security on the latter's massive Hawaii estate. Magnum lived in Masters' guest house and drove his Ferrari (the car would become one of the show's signatures), much to the chagrin of Jonathan Higgins III, a proper Englishman who ran the estate. Magnum also continued to take on cases in which he was aided and abetted by his Vietnam vet buddies, notably helicopter pilot T.C. and club manager Rick. The series made Tom Selleck a star and put Ferrari posters on the walls of teenage boys' bedrooms. Affleck To Star as Magnum PI? 16 June 2006 (WENN) Producers of the big screen adaptation of cult TV show Magnum PI are keen to cast Ben Affleck as the famous Hawaiian private investigator. Charles Floyd Johnson, one of the producers of the original 1980s TV series, insists the Daredevil star would be perfect for the mustachioed role after Tom Selleck held out too long to reprise the part. Johnson hints Affleck would be his first choice to play the lead but, regardless of the final casting, he tells moviehole.net, "I think it will be wonderful. Unfortunately it won't star Tom. He was asked to do six or eight TV movies and at that time he really wanted to do it as a feature, so he held out on it and probably now they will consider him too old to do it." Johnson names hot Hollywood producer Brian Grazer as the man behind the movie adaptation.
My Take: No way can Affleck play Magnum. Question: Will they still use a 308, or will the show be set in modern times and use something else? (F430?) Birdman
Clooney's wry sense of humor is much better suited to the Magnum role than Ben Affleck. But really, I'd rather see an old Selleck than anybody else in the role. I can't visualize either one of those guys w/ a mustache anyway...! As far as choice of car, my guess is they'll go with a 430 cab.... Greg
Sorry to hijack this thread but I wish to buy a birdman's fuse board but web site won't let me and emails are not getting through. could he please contact me. Cheers
Clooney's personality, style and sense of humor would be a much better match. I'd love him to drive a fully restored 308-328 or a 430 if they insist on a newer car.
Clooney's too refined/stylish. But Affleck would be awful. But everyone here's going to pay full price to see this on the opening night anyway.
When they did the Dukes of Hazard they redid the GENERAL LEE, and when they did Love Bug they reused HERBIE so I say they should reuse the 308 GTS for Magnum PI. What do you guys think?
Yeah Affleck would completely suck as Magnum. Don't think I'd care to see Clooney play the part either. I am with the "revive Selleck" crowd on this one. As for the car, don't forget that they also used the Torino for Starsky & Hutch, so yes I think the 308 should be the chariot of choice. Cheers, Aaron '82 GTSi
Tom Selleck and the 308 were the two big "icons" of the show. My take on this is you have to retain ONE of those two icons. So this can go one of two possible ways: If you keep Selleck for the part (as I think most of us would prefer) there is no getting around the fact that he is 60 years old and the movie would have to be set in the present, not the '80s, so it wouldn't make sense for him to still be driving a 308. He would have to be driving an F430. If you replace Selleck with someone younger, losing Selleck as the star, you MUST keep the 308 as the other icon of the show, so it has to be set in the '80s and the new star must drive a 308. So which do you like better, the 308 or Tom Selleck? (I have got to go with Tom Selleck. He IS Magnum to me. If they replace him, the movie will suck.) But retaining the 308 will probably dramatically increase interest in 308s and increase prices. Birdman
WE as Fchatters want the 308!!!! Period. BUT...Hollywood and most every non-Ferrari educated spare only knows that he drove a Ferrari and not the model 308. So for that reason I think Hollywood will go with a Ferrari. Probably a 430 spider to get more screentime for the lead actor. For my money I think Matthew McConaughey would make the best Magnum in a new film. He's a pretty good actor and he's got more of that laid back Hawaiian attitude about him.
Thats a good post Birdman. Right on the money. I have a feeling that they will use a younger guy, with a 308. Just as the Dukes and Starsky&Hutch remakes. Original car, younger actors. But......im sure we would all love Selleck to return. He could handle it just fine and driving the 308 would be great to see!
Was just watching The Godfather III and thought what about Andy Garcia? I'm having a helluva time trying to figure out who could possibly play Thomas Magnum better than Selleck!!!! Cheers, Aaron '82 GTSi
Are they making the movie as a comedy? If so, how about Will Ferell? Or get real funky and go Will Smith. If it's Will Smith as Magnum, then T.C. could be played by Larry the Cable Guy and Higgins would be played by Ice Cube. Otherwise, ya gotta go Tom Selleck.
