‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Revival Set at Fox
By Joe Otterson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – A revival of “Beverly Hills, 90210” has officially been ordered at Fox.
Original series cast members Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling will all return. The broadcaster has ordered six episodes of the series, which are set to air this summer. The network has dubbed the revival simply “.”
The event series comes with a twist, however. The actors will not be playing their characters from the show, but rather heightened versions of themselves. Having gone their separate ways since the original series ended 19 years ago, Jason, Jennie, Ian, Gabrielle, Brian and Tori reunite when one of them suggests it’s time to get a “Beverly Hills, 90210” reboot up and running. But getting it going may make for more drama than the reboot itself.
“‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ left an indelible impact on pop culture and an entire generation,” said Michael Thorn, president of entertainment for . “Its powerful legacy is an important part of our network’s DNA – bold stories not told anywhere else and bigger-than-life-characters – and we’re honored to bring back the beloved original cast members for ‘90210.’”
Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler will write and executive produce the new series. Both previously worked on The CW series “90210,” which ran for five seasons between 2008 and 2013. Carteris, Garth, Green, Priestley, Spelling and Ziering will also executive produce. The series was conceived by Alberghini, Chessler, Spelling and Garth. CBS Television Studios and Fox Entertainment will produce.
Beverly Hills, 90210” premiered on Fox in 1990 and went on to become one of the top shows on the network. It aired for 10 seasons and spawned multiple series set in the same universe, including The CW’s “90210” and Fox’s “Melrose Place.”
News of the revival comes as Fox looks to plot its own course in the post-21st Century Fox and Disney merger world. At the recent TCA winter press tour, Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier said that the company has a “rare business opportunity” to start fresh once the merger is complete and Fox is no longer aligned with 20th Century Fox Television. Collier also said that the company’s new flexibility will allow them to work more with independent studios such as Sony Pictures TV and Warner Bros.
