Movies - TV
Mark Wahlberg's Six Million Dollar Man Reboot Might Be Doomed
By JEREMY SMITH
In the '70s, astronaut Steve Austin crashed but was saved by experimental bionic implants, becoming "The Six Million Dollar Man," and every kid in America was crazy about him.
Just about every other '70s TV hit, like "Charlie's Angels," "The Brady Bunch" and "Starsky and Hutch" has spawned a big-screen revival, but we've yet to see a bionic man movie.
The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez spoke to industry insiders who generally claim the movie probably would've happened by now if not for Mark Wahlberg, but there are other issues.
In 2014, Mark Wahlberg, a huge fan of the series, secured himself a role as Austin, but the project has floundered in development hell for producer Bob Weinstein.
Lack of enthusiasm questions the need for the film and, by today's standards and with modern technology and capabilities, if a six billion-dollar man makes more sense.
Another issue is the storyline is overdone. From "Robocop" to "Upgrade," some of our finest filmmakers have worked thematically complex versions of "The Six Million Dollar Man."
Gonzalez's piece is pretty hard on Wahlberg's screen presence, questioning if he would be nearly as engaging as rugged Lee Majors.