CBS ready for ‘Five-O’ hana hou
Next-generation ‘Five-O’ is in the works for CBS
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Is the world ready for the return of Steve McGarrett, or at least of his son? CBS thinks so.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, CBS is planning a revival of the "Hawaii Five- O" franchise and is developing a new series with McGarrett's son Chris as the central character.
The executive producer would be Ed Bernero, producer of the "Criminal Minds" series.
Plans to turn the old series into a feature film, meanwhile, are still alive. A screenwriter has been here to conduct research, according to state film commissioner Donne Dawson.
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In the constant entertainment cycle of making the old new again, the time may have come for the rebooting of "Hawaii Five-O."
Earlier plans to recycle the classic TV cop drama as a feature film took a turn yesterday when the Hollywood Reporter trade paper reported that CBS -- the network that developed "Five-O" and aired the show from 1968 to '80 -- is planning to revive the show as a television series.
The article states that the new "Hawaii Five-O" is being developed by Ed Bernero, executive producer and show runner of "Criminal Minds," meaning he oversees day-to-day operations of that show.
Bernero said the pacing, storytelling and characters would be updated, with Steve McGarrett's son Chris leading the elite police squad. "We will try to keep as much of the original show as possible," he said in the article. "I'm not trying to reinvent it."
Like the original, the resuscitated "Hawaii Five-O" would be shot on location here.
The Hollywood Reporter stated that a Warner Bros. movie project of the same name "has been dormant for a while."
Donne Dawson, state film commissioner with the Hawaii Film Office, said that "to my knowledge, the feature film is still in the works, although I haven't heard any new developments."
She said that one of the screenwriters on the film, George Nolfi, has made research trips to Hawaii to meet with law-enforcement officials. (Nolfi worked on the films "Ocean's Twelve," "The Sentinel" and "The Bourne Ultimatum.")
The Internet Movie Database entry for the film, last updated May 21, lists the movie's release date as 2010. George Litto and his daughter Andria of George Litto Productions are producer and executive producer, respectively.
Dawson did say, however, that "it looks like we may be meeting with CBS executives soon" to discuss the TV project, specifically regarding the state's Act 88 film-production tax credit.
Honolulu film commissioner Walea Constantinau said she was "pleasantly surprised" to hear of CBS' plans for a new version of "Five-O."
"It's certainly been one of the big franchises over the years," she said, "and it's a great testament for its longevity. How terrific is it that they're looking to do the series back here. And we're certainly ready, what with tax incentives and a fine crew of technicians."
