Looks like Paul Reubens’ long rumoured return to the PeeWee Herman character is finally becoming a reality, and he will join with Paul Apatow to direct his next feature film!
Mr. Reubens has spoken frequently in interviews about two Pee-wee-centered film scripts he has written that would continue the adventures of his manic character seen in the movies “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big Top Pee-wee” as well as the CBS children’s series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
But after Mr. Apatow read these scripts, Mr. Reubens said, “He was more interested in something closer, in the same vein and the same genre, as ‘Big Adventure.’”
What Mr. Apatow wanted, Mr. Reubens said, was “a reality-based world and a linear road movie.”
So that’s the path that Mr. Reubens and a co-writer, Paul Rust, are working along, for now.
“That appears to be what we’re doing,” Mr. Reubens said, “although it’s at such an early stage right now that there still exists the possibility that this could turn into the ‘Playhouse’ movie. I don’t think we know the answer to that yet.”
I really liked how PeeWee kicked off as just a guy who is socially out of his depth surrounded with his oddities and an unnatural affection for a bicycle, but beneath that exaggerated innocence and immaturity is a pure gentle heart.
I say keep him in the real world, and do the road trip thing.
Playhouse was just TOO juvenile and lacked that depth to the character that made PeeWee’s Big Adventure such a silly ride worth taking.
With Apatow involved, PeeWee isn’t likely to go stoner adult on us, but I suspect it won’t be so childish.
