Jason LaVeris/FilmMagicLifetime's found its next classic '80s movie to remake.
The network has announced plans for a contemporary re-imagining of Beaches set to premiere in 2017, E! News has confirmed. The remake will star Idina Menzel, who will be stepping into Bette Midler's shoes to sing the film's iconic song, "Wind Beneath My Wings."
Beaches tells the story of two young girls who have a serendipitous meeting on the Venice boardwalk that kickstarts an unexpected and lifelong friendship. CC (Menzel) is an aspiring singer trying to make it in LA until a director gives her her first big shot. Hillary, played by Barbara Hershey in the 1988 original, is the daughter of a prominent civil rights attorney who struggles to find her own destiny. Their friendship—with its ups and downs—sustains them for decades. The role of Hillary has yet to be cast.
The remake will feature new versions of both "Wind Beneath My Wings" and the film's other classic song, "The Glory of Love," as well as several other songs recorded specifically for the movie.
The original Beaches, directed by the late Garry Marshall, was a box office smash and a Grammy winner, with "Wind Beneath My Wings" earning both Record and Song of the Year Grammy Awards. Since it's release, it's become a pop culture touchstone.
This remake follows Lifetime's recent reboot of another female-driven '80s classic, their all-African-American version of Steel Magnolias. Starring Queen Latifah, the 2012 remake earned the network record ratings.
Are you looking forward to a new Beaches? And who would you like to see in the Hillary role? Drop your dream cast suggestions in the comments below!
Beaches will premiere on Lifetime sometime in 2017.