From Star-Lord To Starsky: James Gunn's New Project Is The Return Of 'Starsky And Hutch'

The buddy cop TV series Starsky & Hutch launched back in 1975, ran for four years, and left its mark on popular culture as a global hit. Now, it looks as though those hip heroes are about to return to the small screen in a brand new series. And the great news is, James Gunn — of Guardians of the Galaxy fame — will be running the show!

Nostalgia is all the rage in Hollywood these days, with reboots of S.W.A.T., The Munsters and Dynasty recently announced. The latest '70s #reboot is Starsky & Hutch, and this Sony series has caught the attention of one of the masters of nostalgia — #JamesGunn, who's shot to fame after the success of Guardians of the Galaxy and this year's sequel. He's signed up as both executive producer and writer, working with his brother Brian Gunn and their cousin Mark Gunn.

The off-the-wall humor gave it a cheeky, irreverent tone. It's perfect for James Gunn.

One of the most beloved franchises back in the '70s, Starsky & Hutch featured two streetwise cops who took down crooks. To give you a sense of the show's vibe, it was famous for the fact that they never walked around their red 1974 Torino — they always jumped over the bonnet. Meanwhile, their top informant went by the name of "Huggy Bear."

It definitely wasn't a series that took itself seriously, and the off-the-wall humor gave it a cheeky, irreverent tone. It's perfect for James Gunn.

Why This Is A Good Choice

Starsky & Hutch has always been Hollywood gold. The original series, created by William Blinn and starring David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser, was smartly written and humorous. It focused on the pitch-perfect dynamic between Soul and Glaser, two partners whose commitment to one another was tested time and again. According to legend, Soul once objected to calling the series a cop show. He argued, instead, that it was "a love story about two men who happen to be cops."

In 2004, Todd Phillips adapted the classic series for a movie starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. The comedy duo just didn't quite get the dynamic right, and the film never earned the fan acclaim of the classic series.

But now it looks as though Starsky & Hutch are set to return to the small screen once again, and this time under the watchful eye of James Gunn. As Gunn's movies ably demonstrate, he's a dab hand at developing strong dynamics between starring characters. We don't yet have any hints as to who could be cast for the starring role, but we can be absolutely confident that Gunn will choose the people he feels can make that crucial central partnership work.

It's time for another classic series to make its comeback. And fans of Starsky & Hutch can sit back and relax, knowing this relaunched show is in safe hands. James Gunn has proved himself the king of nostalgia (just check out the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Easter Eggs). Now he's taking on some of the sweetest stars of the '70s!

[Credit: Variety]