Image Credit: Noel Vasquez/Getty ImagesThe case of who’ll succeed James Garner in NBC’s Rockford Files remake has been cracked… by me!
Sources confirm that Julia Roberts’ erstwhile BF, Dermot Mulroney, has been tapped to play iconic detective Jim Rockford in the David Shore-produced reboot.
The project marks Mulroney’s first major foray into series television. Nothing like making a big splash your first time out!
Thoughts?
Didn’t even know they were remaking it.
Oh no, I loved the Rockford Files – everything about it was low-tech from his trailer to his methods. This reboot hopefully won’t be in the vein of current law related shows with their reliance on scientific mumbo-jumbo, the worst part is that they explain the concept (like Numb3rs does). And a large part of Rockford’s success was the charm of James Garner. I have a sinking feeling this reboot will be some ill-conceived mix of a CSI-style show with lots of scantily clad women parading around as well or they make it too “gritty and real” which seem to the buzzwords of today. Shows today are not geared toward the same speed as Rockford was, every crackpot show now has an annoying narrator who explains some esoteric fact while the action goes on and in the background is music by the latest 15 min of fame band/”singer”. I have the same doubts about Hawaii 5-0 remake. Just watch episodes of Rockford on Hulu and see how radically different they are from shows made today. The best ones had Angel in them or the ones with Lindsay Wagner or my personal favorite from season 1 – “Sleight of Hand”
IF they did this show right – the only guy I can think of who could conceivably pull it off would be Nathan Fillion – he kind of has that disarming charm Rockford relied on (rarely using a gun).
Agreed Stephanie. I have always though that only Nathan Fillion could pull off a Rockford remake.
Nathan Fillion would be a good choice. I’ve always thought David Boreanaz would be a great Rockford, too. I can’t see Dermot Mulroney in the role. More importantly, who would play his dad? Noah Beery was terrific as Rocky and I can’t think of anyone who’d do as good a job.
Oh, P.U. Nathan Fillion stinks. I don’t know why people worship his smirkiness and bad acting. P.U. again!
I agree 100%. Hopefully they will try to keep it more like the original.
HATE NATHAN FILLION! LOVE DERMOT…nuf said.
@bootsycolumbia You are so right about Rocky. So endearing. Truly classic.
How about Hollywood stops remaking things and has an idea of their own?
YES! I thought he was sexy in the Wedding Date and in Friends and in My Best Friends Wedding.
Such a good choice. He’s like a vintage smooth George Clooney. Or a new Carey Grant.
Please tell me that you didn’t just compare Dermot Mulroney to Cary Grant……..
you are so ophensive!!!
hahahahhahaahha I appreciate the homage!
why are they remaking ,i mean really lets get some new ideas
I agree. Love Dermot Mulroney but really don’t need to watch yet another 70′s cop drama rehash.
Its on NBC…they need new shows because of the Leno fiasco. Because it is on NBC, this show will fail.
I agree….don’t break the mould on a good product….Make a NEW mould. James Garner is the only and ONLY Jim Rockford…Sorry Dermot…I think you are hot…but! Make something NEW! and YOU!
Oh major ick. Not a great actor, and not particularly suited to play Rockford with that laid-back, ironic demeanor that Garner made look so easy. Majorly disappointed.
Horrid Choice!
i do not think he is a “major ick”…he’s a smooth operator, great personality on screen, hot hot hot…and with the easy sensuality of James Gardner…good choice, i always wished producers would hire him more…finally i can delight my senses on a weekly basis!!hooray!!
Very disappointed. He just doesn’t have that world-weary look; more the smarmy used-car salesman look.
Which would be good for some con-man part, but not the beloved Rockford. Won’t be watching now.
Exactly, Rockford never looked sleazy. He was a man’s man – loved his tacos, fishing, and his car.
I actually was rooting for Joe Flanigan and thought he would have been perfect for the role.
Oh well, one more show I don’t have to DVR
..and also loved every female guest star that came his way , every week.
I’d say it was almost a right of passage for young actresses to do a guest stint( or more if they were any good) on Rockford back then …and maybe even be part of the intro where they’d have guest voices heard on his old style answering machine…
I think DM will do alright – it really boils down to the chemistry with his costars and the writing .David Shore can do it if anyone could…would be nice( eventually) to see Jim Garner in a recurring role /special guest star….but DS will probably want to make some distance between Rockford 2.0 and the original…
Hope there is LESS fighting in the new version!
I LOVE DELMOUNT MULRONEY. HE CAN PLAY ANYONE AND DO AN EXCELLENT JOB OF IT…HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN THE MOVIE” THE WEDDING DATE”? HE WAS AWESOME…SOOOO CHARMING AND HANDSOME AND DOWN RIGHT SEXY…HE WILL MAKE A GREAT JIM ROCKFORD…
I don’t know, I like Mulroney, like that he’s letting his hair go natural. But I wish they wouldn’t have to care so much about looks, did Jim Rockford need to be that good looking? And someone mentions world weariness, Rockford had that, also David Janssen and Robert MItchum. Been trying to think of some stars today who have that. Rusell Crowe, Mel Gibson. Tell the truth, someone I thought might have been a good Rockford, don’t laugh, is Tim Allen. Sure, he’s done some dopey comedy, but he can do drama(see Redbelt). It would be interesting to see him stretch into drama. Course it looks like they’ve cast a little younger, though at least Rockford isn’t played by some twenty or thirtysomething. They’ve actually got a 40 year old.
It looks like he’s pushing 60 in that pic.
LOVE Mulroney, but it’s going to take some really great writing to convince me he can play that role in this modern era.
I LOVE Mulroney also, I’m more concerned about what the producers and writers do with the project. Mulroney can do justice to any part given him; cowboy in “the last outlaw”, cool educated gentleman in “the wedding date,” factory working father in “gracie” to the father making a bad choice for love in “the memory keeper’s father”…he was so good in “about schmidt” I didn’t recognize him at first-completely different than the “wedding date” character. He’s a all around good actor… hopefully the writing and directing will come up to his acting experience.
GREAT CHOICE.
I want to believe this is a good choice, but it smells like a fail. He may be good looking, but it’ll be VERY hard to outdo James Garner. But, why must that be the criteria for a remake? I doubt the series will try and convince us that Mr. Mulroney is indeed THE Jim Rockford of old.
However, with David Shore backing the project, I could be wrong. I mean, he did show us a different and certainly exciting side of Hugh Laurie… Let’s give this one a shot, I say!
Sounds like the answer to your blind item! Big name, network choice, possible show runner disputes.
Is he going to live in a trailer the way the original did, or will he live in KITT, the car from Knight Rider with his Bionic Woman.
Fail.
Lindsay Wagner guest starred several times on the original RF
beautiful man, good actor, i think he can do the role justice. i don’t think he’s trying to be exactly the rockford that james garner did, because if they remade it note-for-note, it would be pointless. just wait to see how he approaches the role before judging.
Awful
It stinks. Shoulda been Joe Flanigan.
Who’s Joe Flanigan? Seriously, I’ve never heard of him.
I am thrilled to know we will be able to see Dermot on a regular basis. I think he is just about the hottest guy I have ever seen and that voice of his should be against the law! He can sure put himself into those roles as a caring and attentive lover. I will have to agree with the one person above though, this picture does not do him justice. He is much better looking than this – especially with his shirt off! Can hardly wait for the new Rockford Files to start.
Never thought of him for this, but I think he would be a great choice.
DB just doesn’t seem right for the part.