Martin Campbell to Direct The Fall Guy?

Posted by on November 2nd, 2011   Filed under: Action, Rumours, TV
Source: Deadline

Yesterday we reported on the news that Bill Paxton would potentially adapt the ’70s TV series Kung Fu for the big screen, and now today we have another similar story to address. It seems that the ’80s TV show The Fall Guy is also about to get a feature film reboot, and director Martin Campbell (Green Lantern) is in “early discussions” to direct. The show ran from 1981 to 1986 and starred The Six Million Dollar Man himself Lee Majors as a Hollywood stunt man named Colt Seavers (great name) who works as a bounty hunter in his off-hours. It was created by Glen A. Larson, the same man who brought us such classic shows as Knight Rider, Magnum P.I. and Battlestar Galactica.

The Fall Guy was just slightly before my time as I seem to remember the toys more than the actual show itself. Much like The A-Team, there was a very iconic vehicle featured in the show that was Seavers’ brown GMC pickup truck with an eagle painted on the hood. The show also starred Douglas Barr and Heather Thomas.

The script for the movie is being written by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class, Thor, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Although Martin Campbell’s last film wasn’t particularly well-received, his experience directing such James Bond films as Goldeneye and Casino Royale make him an ideal candidate for the job. All I know is the stunts in this movie better be real and not CG BS. What do you think, could The Fall Guy make for an entertaining flick and will it be better or worse than The A-Team?



  • Greg

    A few things:

    1) Looking at Glen Larson’s work, it’s clear he’s a television genius.

    2) The show had one of the top 5 best theme songs in the history of television performed by Lee Majors himself.

    3) The show also starred a pre-Night Court Markie Post. Heather Thomas and Markie Post? Yeah…go buy the DVD right now.

    4) Although, I’m not sold on Martin Campbell…this news story gave me a semi.

  • Liney

    Greg – didn’t you once say on the podcast that the whole idea for the show came out of the producer or someone haring the theme song, and coming up with a concept around it?

    That theme song bugs the hell out of me, cos it’s so catchy that it ends up in my head for days each time I think of it. But the bit that goes “A hay hay” makes me feel a bit nauseous…

  • RC

    Great memories of this TV show. I wouldn’t mind seeing a feature film do it justice.

    I agree that “Ballad of the Unknown Stuntman” is a catchy theme and to get Lee Majors to sing it was a nice touch.

    I think Liney and Greg would be referring to this about the series pitch meeting http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=8306

    Oh and Greg, I’m in complete agreement with you about Markie Post and Heather Thomas. Two of my childhood crushes.

    Favourite Markie Post moment from Fall Guy is this episode http://youtu.be/oMrnud0KXDs Warning to Frank. It’s in French.

    When I was a kid, there was also a show called Battle of the Network Stars and Heather Thomas made several appearances. Here is one such appearance that is burned into my memory http://youtu.be/gQQZemoLjD4

    Markie Post also did a pilot fora remake of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl http://youtu.be/sgOitJbSBSg

  • RC

    Oh yeah, I forgot to add that Greg is also right about Glen Larson. He and Stephen J. Cannell were prolific in the late 70s and 80s. You couldn’t watch a TV show back then without seeing their names in the credits.

  • Bruce

    To this day, I still remember the lyrics to The Unknown Stuntman, forwards and backwards.