Warner Bros. has announced that they’re remaking the classic 1979 comedy 10. The original movie starred Julie Andrews, Dudley Moore, and Bo Derek. The movie was one of the year’s biggest hits, scoring $75 million at the domestic box office and it was considered to be a trendsetting story at the time. Additionally, 10 made Bo Derek an instant sex symbol. Her beaded and plaited cornrow hairstyle in the movie was copied by many women, while posters of the actress were plastered all over the walls of young men everywhere throughout the 1980s.
Blake Edwards directed and wrote the original version of 10. At this time, the remake does not have a director. Legally Blonde writers Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith are penning the screenplay, which will look at what makes a “perfect 10” in today’s world. Sue Kroll, through Kroll & Co. Entertainment’s exclusive deal at the Burbank, CA studio, will produce alongside Jeff Nathanson.
Julie Andrews and Ashok Amritraj will serve as executive producers. Julie Andrews, who was married to Blake Edwards until his death in 2010, had this to say about the 10 remake.
“10 holds a special place in my heart. It captures Blake’s charisma and his special humor that I so adore. I have long been rather protective about which of Blake’s brilliant works should be re-imagined. I am pleased that today’s film goers will have an opportunity to enjoy a new interpretation of this classic.”
In addition to the cultural impact, 10 was also a hit during awards season upon its release. Henry Mancini’s original score, along with the song he co-wrote with Robert Wells, “It’s Easy to Say,” were both nominated for Academy Awards. In addition, 10 went on to earn five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Comedy/Musical Motion Picture, Julie Andrews for Best Actress Comedy, Dudley Moore for Best Actor Comedy, Bo Derek for the New Star of the Year category, and Mancini’s score.
News of a 10 remake started to make the rounds in 2008, but nothing came out of it. It’s unclear if Blake Edwards wanted to be a part of a remake at that time, but Julie Andrews’ new statement makes it seem like it wasn’t something they were interested in returning to until the right crew came together. As with any remake, this new version of 10 is going to be held up to, and constantly compared to the original 1979 version.
Blake Edwards’ look at the “grass is always greener” in relationships brought the idea to new heights, pointing out the fallacy of that line of thinking in a humorous way. Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews, and Bo Derek all delivered strong performances, though Moore was not the first choice. He was a last minute replacement for George Segal who suddenly backed out of the project. He probably wished he would have stayed on board after the movie came out to rave reviews and box office success. Deadline was the first to report on the 10 remake.
