Could we see a young Danny Zuko in Paramount+’s ‘Grease’ prequel?
Grease may soon become the great equalizer between generations. The film shows up in community centers, classrooms, and family reunions for a simple reason – Grease can be enjoyed by a vast audience both young & old. Boomers & zoomers may be able to connect on an even deeper level considering the latest news hitting publications this week – Grease has a prequel on the way.
We all know the story of the Rydell High gang, thunder road, and of course, Sandra Dee, but there’s quite the backstory set up for Grease. What happens between Sandy & Danny during their summer of lovin’? How does Rizzo ascend the Rydell social ranks to be one of the heavy hitters at school? The latest Grease news seems to say we may get answers to these questions. Here’s what we found.
Rise of the Pink Ladies
Playbill reported on Monday that there is a Grease prequel series in the works (tell me more, tell me more!). Yes, in the not so distant future, audiences will have 10 episodes giving us a window into the lives of our favorite Rydell High students before Sandy comes to town, sees Danny, and turns everything on its head.
All the new Grease buzz comes straight from Paramount, the same production company who first introduced the T-Birds to the world on a grand scale when Grease dropped in theaters in 1978. Paramount will give fans the TV series via its new(ish) streaming platform Paramount Plus, and the show will have a specific angle.
The Grease prequel is reportedly called Rise of the Pink Ladies, and will focus on (you guessed it) the women who rule Rydell High by the time they hit senior year. The show comes from creator Annabel Oakes, whose writing credits include MTV’s Awkward. & Netflix’s Atypical. Oakes will also write & executive produce the upcoming series.
Anyone who’s curious about Rizzo & Kenickie’s romantic history, Frenchie’s early hairstyle choices, or Marty Maraschino’s entanglements with older men will likely get answers in the upcoming series. Moreover, Grease fans will get an extra treat coming along with Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Summer Lovin’
Yes, Grease fanatics – feel free to bust out into a full on hand jive, because Rise of the Pink Ladies will come paired with a full on theatrical prequel movie. Wow, things are really shaping up. So what could the Grease prequel movie be about that won’t be covered in Rise of the Pink Ladies?
Reports say the Grease prequel movie will be all romance – the film is titled Summer Lovin’ and will focus on (you guessed it) Danny & Sandy’s epic summer romance which kicks off the chain of events of the Grease story. Both Summer Lovin’ & Rise of the Pink Ladies will be produced by Picturestart, & Temple Hill along with Paramount.
Stranded at the drive in
We don’t have a ton more info on Danny & Sandy’s Summer Lovin’, but a report from Playbill back in April 2019 gives us a small clue on the people who will bring us the prequel.
Reports say John August was attached to write the screenplay in 2019. August wrote screenplays for 2003’s Big Fish & 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and is no stranger to penning a large scale production. However, recent reports don’t mention August as attached to the film definitively.
For now, we don’t know when we’ll come to see the early days of the Grease gang, as no official release date has dropped for Summer Lovin’ or Rise of the Pink Ladies. However, we’re sure when the prequels drop, we’ll rip through them like greased lighting.
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