Admittedly, the “TV shows as prequels/pseudo-siblings to movies” space is rather hit or miss — for every Hannibal and Andor, there’s Young Sheldon and Fear the Walking Dead. But in an entry that already has heaps of tenuous promise, FX has ordered a pilot for Very Young Frankenstein, which draws inspiration 1974’s eternally brilliant Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein.
As Variety reports, the pilot is set to star Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Spencer House (Space Force), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley), Dolly Wells (Inside Man), and Nikki Crawford (Fat Ham). While plot and/or character details remain relatively thin so far, Galifianakis is reportedly set to play Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (the role made famous by Gene Wilder) while Elwes is slated as a heretofore-unnamed President of the United States of America.
Behind the camera, Very Young Frankenstein has an equally star-studded roster of talent. Stefani Robinson (of What We Do in the Shadows fame) will write and executive produce. She’ll be joined by Shadows alums Taika Waititi, who is directing the pilot, and fellow executive producer Garrett Basch. Meanwhile, Brooks, the film’s writer and director, will also executive produce alongside Michael Gruskoff (also one of the film’s producers).
Arguably one of Brooks’ finest films, Young Frankenstein is heralded for expertly encapsulating his signature brand of left-of-center humor while also serving as a rather novel dissection of modern horror. In a 2014 interview with the Los Angeles Times for the film’s 40th anniversary celebration, Brooks revealed that he considered Young Frankenstein his finest film if not entirely the biggest rib-buster in his storied filmography.
Meanwhile, The American Film Institute awarded the film the honor of the 89th best movie song ever for the amazing Wilder-Peter Boyle duet of “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” And in his own four-star review, legendary critic Roger Ebert wrote that it’s a “loving commentary on our love-hate affairs with monsters,” adding, “This time, the monster even gets to have a little love-hate affair of his own.”
Stay tuned for more details on Very Young Frankenstein as they shuffle forth. In the meantime, relieve the film’s single best scene (fight me, film bros).
