Paramount PicturesStart practicing your hand jive!
Following the smash success of NBC's Sound of Music Live! last year, Fox is hopping on the live special bandwagon.
The network is set to air a live three-hour broadcast of the hit musical Grease, Fox president Kevin Reilly announced on Monday. Grease Live is set to air in 2015 and will feature a young ensemble cast that will reintroduce viewers to the songs and characters from the 1971 Broadway musical and the hit 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Fox's broadcast will feature some if the musical's iconic songs, such as "Greast Lightnin'," "You're the One That I Want" and "Summer Nights," but it will also reimagine some of the most memorable T-Bird and Pink Lady characters.
"From Broadway to film, and across generations, Grease is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told – and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," Fox's senior vice president of event series Shana C. Waterman said in a statement. "Its iconic characters and addictive songs make it the perfect fit for Fox, and we're going to give it the kind of star power and production quality to make every Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie out there want to get up and sing along."
Paramount TV's president Amy Powell added, "It's incredibly exciting to have one of our first major network productions be based on this universally celebrated Paramount title, and we're thrilled to be partnering with Kevin, Joe and Shana on this epic television event. Fox's passion for engaging audiences with bold storytelling and live musical formats make it a perfect home for this special broadcast."
Fox's decision to stage a live musical should come as no surprise following the massive ratings The Sound of Music Live! starring Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer brought in for NBC last December. The special attracted 18.5 million viewers and a stellar 4.6 ratings in the all-important adults 18-49 demo.
In January, NBC boss Bob Greenblatt announced the network's next live musical: Peter Pan!
"We had so much doing a big musical that the family could watch over the holidays, so we're going to do it again," Greenblatt said. "Get ready for flying children and some start-of-the-art technology for Tinkerbell."
Are you excited to see Fox's Grease Live? Who should play Danny and Sandy? Sound off in the comments!