Image Credit: Everett Collection; Glenn Harris/PR PhotosTalk about putting the Vania before the Transyl: NBC and Pushing Daisies mastermind Bryan Fuller are in the very early stages of developing a reboot of the creepshow classic The Munsters, but there’s already a fervent fan movement under way to get Kristen Bell cast as Marilyn. And one of those fans is Fuller himself!
“Are you kidding me?” he enthuses of the Veronica Mars powerhouse. “Kristen would be perfect.”
Coincidentally, Fuller says the Munster clan’s “plain” cousin will be much more pivotal than she was in the ’60s original. “She is our eyes into the world,” he explains, “in the sense that we all can relate to our families exhibiting some level of monstrous behavior.” (Also playing a larger role: Eddie’s pet dragon, Spot.)
Fuller plans to fashion his Munsters update as a cross between Modern Family and True Blood. “This version has teeth and isn’t afraid to use them,” he says with a laugh. “For example, the story begins when young Eddie unexpectedly manifests as a werewolf on a scout camping trip and inadvertently eats two of his fellow scouts.” Sounds yummy!
Thoughts? Do you agree that the role of Marilyn has my beloved KB written all over it? Weigh in below!
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i’m always skeptical that reboots will be quality television. i’d rather Bell focus on good, thoughtful work like her Veronica Mars series rather than her rash of bad blockbusters recently.
I was game as soon as Bryan Fuller’s name was attached. If K.Bell signs on, I’ll be a fan for as long as it runs.
Agreed.
Kristen Bell has had blockbusters? So far, she’s been a featured player in two modest hits (Sarah Marshall, Couple’s Retreat) and a bunch of flops: When In Rome, You Again, Reefer Madness, Pulse, Veronica Mars
News flash: The “flop” VERONICA MARS ran 3 seasons, you ignoramus. HEROES was pretty successful, too, and GET HIM TO THE GREEK was a big fat hit.
veronica mars was not a flop- juts not backed by the fools @ the cw
Emilia was a flop indeed. It was critically acclaimed, and developed a rabid quasi-cult following, but it never got anything but crappy ratings. And running three seasons on anemic ratings is what I’d call being backed by the CW. They did all they could to give the show a chance considering it never found a substantial audience.
Veronica Mars was a critical hit. But it was a flop where it matters to the networkd: the ratings. Therefore, Tom was right. It was another flop in KB’s resume.
Veronica Mars was a flop in the ratings. Saying otherwise is ridiculous.
The first season of Veronica Mars was rightfully critically acclaimed. But the following two seasons were indicative of its dismal ratings.
Wow, so I guess this means shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad are flops just because they don’t get the big ratings. It was a show on UPN–nobody watched that network. Then it was on the CW–even fewer watch that network! They cancelled Veronica Mars to make way for Gossip Girl, which is even more of a “flop” than Veronica Mars…
“GET HIM TO THE GREEK was a big fat hit.” You need to put the crack pipe down before posting.
Poor, deluded Larry. GET HIM TO THE GREEK cost $40 million to make and grossed $90 million worldwide ($60 million of the that in the U.S.). Please enlighten us as to what YOUR definition of a hit is.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of those Anchorman-ish movies that gain a bigger cult following over time, although that’s more of a credit to Jason Segel than Kristen Bell.
She’s not even in Get Him to the Greek.
She sure is — as Sarah Marshall.
actually get him to the greek was not a big hit. to be honest i dont get all the love for this girl. she’s actually a little annoying. she’s a tv version of elizabeth banks (not a compliment)
look mom, a troll!
Foot in mouth disease, strikes again.
Never understood the Kristen Bell love, and I didn’t care for Veronica Mars (as a show). She’s modestly pretty, blonde, and a modest talent. Meh.
Agreed. It feels like everyone in the biz is trying to make her happen and the masses just don’t care. There’s nothing special about her.
I wouldn’t say ‘the masses don’t care’ considering she has a rabid fan base and so does Veronica Mars.
That “rabid fanbase” is actually quite small. Therefore Veronica Mars’ dismal ratings, and her last two films (in which she played lead) tanking miserably.
I don’t get it either. I purchased VM after hearing how amazing the show was and how great KB was. While KB did play the role nicely, I still think both she and the show were grossly overrated (and that statement is taking into consideration the low ratings). Waste of money.
i’m with you. i never understood why people love her so much, especially on this website. there’s so many other better actresses. ever wonder why she’s not a bigger star? yeah exactly
She’s a good actress, and pretty, but she has a sharp, nasal, almost bitchy quality that makes her a very bad choice for Marilyn Munster. She’s much better as a villainous type.
This is the worst “reboot” idea, ever. Even worse than the first time they tried bringing it back. The basic concept of the show is far too campy to survive a single episode. You can schedule the debut on Halloween night itself, and the show will still fail. Why waste time on something that has 0% chance of surviving?!
Except besides voicing Gossip Girl and being the best character on Heroes, Bell hasn’t done anything watchable since Veronica Mars. She is awesome, but she picks terrible, generic rom coms when she should be out being awesome in stuff like Reefer Madness. Or a Bryan Fuller-revisioned Munsters.
Why would they want a cross-eyed Marilyn?
NOOO K.Bell can do soo much better. I will support her in anything, but noo.
is it april fool’s day? please tell me this is a joke. and if not, please keep my beloved kristen bell as far away from it as possible.
Makes sense to me.
I would watch anything w/ Kristen Bell b/c she is amazing in everything she does. I’d love for her to return to tv.
Same here
reboots and prequels is what the movie industry is about. now tv. NBC lacks creativity and seems to be plain old tired of the public tv industry. why not reboot all the tv shows from the 80′s?
It isn’t just NBC. Look at CBS, 3 CSI’s and 2 NCIS’s, and a bunch of run of the mill cop shows that have been around since 1970. ABC has Private Practice and another medical show coming to it’s network. Fox took American Idol and X-Factor from Britan. Hollywood is coming out with Toy Story 3, another Saw sequel, they even did a sequel to Wall Street. Sorry nothing is original anymore.
Sequels like Toy Story 3 do not show a lack of creativity. As long as the sequels make the characters grow and develop more than they could in one movie, it’s worthwhile.
I love Kristen Bell, I love Bryan Fuller. I hope this works out.
This screams failure already! Please Kristen Bell, stay away from this crappy reboot. No one wanted to watch the reboot they did how many years ago, I doubt they will this time around!
Stop making me want to watch this, NBC!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Terrible idea.
I’ll give the show a shot because I’m a huge fan of Bryan Fuller’s past work (and Kristen Bell certainly wouldn’t hurt either), but I still would rather see Fuller doing something more creative and original, which we all know he is capable of.
Brad Garrett = Herman Munster. Gotta be.
They could save money by letting A. Skarsgard play Herman. He wouldn’t need any makeup, just stick a couple of screws on his neck and you have Herman Munster.
what is wrong with you? Alex Skarsgard is sexy as hell…
You’ll catch crap for that, but I agree. The guy is not good-looking, has a flat a$$ and bags under his eyes. Not hot.
Bryan Fuller and Kristen Bell FTW! Love them both and I really want to see Bell back on the small screen WITH great writing. Yes, it is a reboot but it has BRYAN FULLER’S name on it.
YES! Love Kristen Bell, love the Munsters. Please please please! I also concur, Brad Garrett would be funny as Herman but not the only choice. My question, who would play LILY? And can’t wait to see Spot get his due.
Lily? Duh. Bebe Newirth.
She *is* the obvious choice.
I agree Bebe would be great to play Lily. She was GREAT as Morticia!
idk much about this show, but i doubt kristen bell would want to switch back to tv full-time. once most actors go from TV to movies, they don’t really go back. although kristen is so amazing (and attractive) that i wish she was cast in an awesome TV show or some great movies already. she’s too talented for what she’s been getting.
Why would Kristen Bell want to be involved in something so idiotic. Promote the Thurs shows more
It’s not like her movie-career is soaring. Just saying.