A few weeks back, “Dallas” actor Larry Hagman made headlines when he publicly discussed informal talks to bring back the 70s, 80s and 90s primetime soap that made him a pop culture phenomenon.
Today, Atlanta’s TNT network confirms to us that a pilot for a “Dallas” re-boot is indeed in the works and yes, Hagman (who will turn 80 this year) is back in the saddle to reprise his role as villain J.R. Ewing.
In addition, stars of the original CBS soap, Linda Gray (who played J.R.’s deliciously boozy wife Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (who most memorably came back to life as Bobby Ewing after producers revealed that an entire season of the show involving the death of Duffy’s character was merely a dream. . .) have also signed on for the pilot.
But rest assured, TV viewers: TNT does not suddenly have a hankering to cater exclusively to the Sunsweet prune-snacking, “Diagnosis: Murder” demographic. We’re told that the series will mostly center on the next generation of Ewings played by hotties Jordana Brewster (“The Fast and the Furious” film franchise) and Josh Henderson (“Over There,” “Desperate Housewives”).
Henderson will play John Ross, J.R. and Sue Ellen’s son and Brewster will play Elena, a vixen mixed up in a love triangle between John Ross and Christopher Ewing, the adopted son of Bobby and Pam Ewing. Expect clashes over the family oil dynasty.
The pilot’s executive producer and writer is Cynthia Cidre, who wrote the film “The Mambo Kings.”
TNT has not announced when the pilot might hit the airwaves.
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