Texas Forever! Friday Night Lights Headed Back to Big Screen

Executive producer Peter Berg says they're already writing the script for another FNL movie

By Tierney Bricker Aug 02, 2011 1:15 AMTags
Friday Night Lights, Connie Britton, Kyle ChandlerNBC

Clear eyes, full hearts, big screen!

To say the Friday Night Lights series finale made all of us here at Watch With Kristin cry is an understatement (we have the snot-covered shirt sleeves to prove it). Eric (Kyle Chandler) and Tami's (Connie Britton) bittersweet send-off left us sobbing and smiling, wishing this wasn't goodbye forever.

Lucky for us, it might not be! We caught up with executive producer Peter Berg at NBC's TCA press tour, where he was promoting his new drama Prime Suspect, and we just had to get the scoop on Friday Night Lights big-screen dreams. 

Like a lot of beloved shows (cough, Veronica Mars, cough), talk of a Friday Night Lights film based on the TV series seemed to begin as soon as the finale's credits rolled. However, unlike a lot of beloved shows with fans hoping for a big-screen return, Berg is actively pursuing the endeavor.

"We're writing a script. We've been meeting with [executive producer] Jason Katims the last couple of weeks," Berg revealed. "We have a real good script idea. We want to do it. We're very serious about doing it and we intend to do it."

NBC

So who would be returning for the Little Show That Could's hop to the silver screen? "We're hoping to bring Kyle and Connie back and some of the other characters, and introduce a whole bunch of new characters," Berg says. Coach and Mrs. Coach together on the big screen? Be still our Texas lovin' hearts. But seriously, give us Taylor Kitsch or give us nothing.

We're thinking Tim Riggins will have some role in the film as Berg says he loves working with Kitsch (who stars in Berg's upcoming film Battleship) and calls the actor "supertalented." In related breaking news: Water is wet.

Berg directed the original Friday Night Lights movie, which inspired his TV show, and he'll take the reins again for this new movie. With Britton returning again to play the coach's wife on the big screen, FNL has really come full circle.

Though he's currently writing the script, Berg says the film would focus "around Kyle and Connie" and "would pick up where the finale left off." Fans shouldn't worry about the film completely deviating from the show, saying, "We would figure out a way of getting back to our original roots." 

"We have a really fresh, very original take on it," Berg continues. "We're very serious about wanting to do it." Well, that works out well because we're very serious about wanting to see it, Mr. Berg! 

Berg couldn't give us a set time frame, but is hoping to start shooting the film "next year." 

So there you have it FNL fans, your favorite show is heading (back) to the big screen. Squee along with us, won't you? Which old favorites would you like to see return?