Knight Rider Rides Again

Though Knight Rider, the movie, has remained stuck in neutral for the better part of the naughties, Knight Rider, the TV show, is revving into high gear.

NBC is bringing back the action show about a man and his motor, testing the waters on a full-fledged series revival with a two-hour TV movie/pilot, which the network will air later this season.

According to Variety, if the telepic is a success—or at the very least, not a complete ratings bomb—the Doug Liman-produced series will go into production for a 2008-09 debut.

NBC Entertainment chief Ben Silverman’s idea to revisit the indestructible supercar series was, per the trade, inspired in part by the recent success of Transformers, which may also influence the revived franchise in terms of introducing potentially "evil" cars to do battle against K.I.T.T. complete with cool special effects rather than the camp of its David Hasselhoff-powered ’80s forebear.

Liman may work double-duty to also direct the so-called "backdoor pilot." Raines’ Dave Andron has already been tapped to write the inaugural episode.

The premise of the show will essentially remain the same as the original, which centered on a mulleted man righting wrongs with the help of a particularly chatty and souped-up automobile.

Knight Rider chronicled the efforts of Michael Knight, an undercover cop  shot in the line of duty and left for dead. After getting a new face and identity, he becomes the lead agent for a dying billionaire’s secret Foundation for Law and Government, where he’s partnered with the yappy Trans Am, K.I.T.T.

Hasselhoff originated the role during the show’s 1982-86 go-round on NBC. No word yet on who will play the hero this time around, but the Peacock is looking for some new blood. 

Should the Hoff remain uninvolved in the project, it’ll be the second such snub in the past year: The brothers Weinstein snapped up the film rights to Knight Rider in 2006 and Hasselhoff’s name has never once been attached, even in cameo form, to the project.

The last time Hasselhoff reprised his role as the crimefighter was back in 1991 for the TV movie Knight Rider 2000. Of course, the Hoff has a full plate for the next year, with his judging gig in NBC’s America’s Got Talent and a potential lead role in the Ryan Seacrest-produced scripted series Tales from the Hoff, which is in development at E!

And as Variety notes, the new Knight Rider has built-in product placement written all over it, with carmakers likely battling to supply the new lead vehicle.

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