Upstart production company Project X Entertainment has landed the franchise rights to The Nutty Professor for a new reboot.
The company, which was formed in October 2019 by screenwriter James Vanderbilt with William Sherak and Paul Neinstein, will package the project themselves before looking for a studio to take the film too, according to Deadline.
There is no word yet on who will write the script or direct the project, or who they may be eyeing to play the title character.
Reboot: Upstart production company Project X Entertainment has landed the franchise rights to The Nutty Professor for a new reboot.
The Nutty Professor debuted in 1963, with comedian Jerry Lewis not only starring but also directing and co-writing the script alongside Bill Richmond.
The film, a comedic parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, followed Lewis’ Professor Julius Kelp, a scientist who creates a potion that turns him from a nerdy klutz to a suave ladies man, an alter-ego he named Buddy Love.
The film is considered one of the best of Lewis’ storied career, which was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2004.
Nutty Jerry: The Nutty Professor debuted in 1963, with comedian Jerry Lewis not only starring but also directing and co-writing the script alongside Bill Richmond
It was also selected for the American Film Institute’s 100 Years… 100 Laughs list of the best film comedies of all time.
It was revealed on a Special Edition DVD release that Lewis created what became known as the filmmaking staple ‘video assist’ on the production, which allows filmmakers to see a version of the take that was just filmed.
While Lewis had tried to get a sequel off the ground for years, the 1963 classic was ultimately rebooted with the 1996 film The Nutty Professor.
Best comedy: It was also selected for the American Film Institute’s 100 Years… 100 Laughs list of the best film comedies of all time
Eddie Murphy starred as Sherman Klump, a kind but overweight professor who concocts a potion to transform himself into lean and obnoxious ladies man.
Murphy also played several other members of the Klump family, with Jada Pinkett Smith playing Sherman’s colleague Carla Purty and others like James Coburn, Larry Miller and Dave Chappelle with supporting roles.
The film was a box office hit, earning $273.9 million from a $54 million budget, spawning the 2000 sequel Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
Sherman and Buddy: Eddie Murphy starred as Sherman Klump, a kind but overweight professor who concocts a potion to transform himself into lean and obnoxious ladies man
There is no word on how the property may be re-imagined, especially given the pedigree of Project X founders James Vanderbilt and William Sherak, whose work spans all genres.
Vanderbilt is a screenwriter, producer and director who has made films such as Zodiac, The Rundown, White House Down and most recently writing the script for Netflix’s Murder Mystery starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.
Sherack is a producer with films to his credit such as Daddy Day Camp, Role Models, Suspiria and Vanderbilt’s directorial debut, Truth.
They formed Project X Entertainment in the fall of 2019 with finance and business operations executive Paul Neinstein, striking a deal with Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment to produce a new Scream reboot.
Reimagined: There is no word on how the property may be re-imagined, especially given the pedigree of Project X founders James Vanderbilt and William Sherak, whose work spans all genres
Writer: Vanderbilt is a screenwriter, producer and director who has made films such as Zodiac, The Rundown, White House Down and most recently writing the script for Netflix’s Murder Mystery starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston