'Beverly Hills, 90210' Is Getting a Lifetime Movie
Lifetime is really digging into the ‘90s vault.
With the 25th anniversary of the debut of Beverly Hills, 90210 fast approaching, the cable network is making the popular ‘90s primetime soap the latest to get the “unauthorized” TV movie treatment followingFull House and Saved by the Bell.
The Unauthorized Beverly Hills, 90210 Story will center on the rollercoaster ride of the program’s first four seasons, highlighting the drama between cast members and producers both on and off-set, including the series’ journey from several near-cancellations to its success and pop culture legacy.
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Beverly Hills, 90210 premiered Oct. 4, 1990 on Fox and ran for a decade, becoming a staple series for the network and making stars out of leads Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green. The popularity of the show – it was nominated for Best Drama Series at the Golden Globes in 1992-93 – also helped launch several spinoffs, Melrose Place and the shortlived Models Inc.
There is so much to mine from those first four years that we can only imagine how much (or how little) Lifetime will actually focus on in the two-hour TV movie, like Garth and Doherty’s early rivalry, those on-set hookups and Doherty’s dramatic exit from the show.
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In 2008, The CW revived the series with 90210, bringing back Garth, Spelling and Doherty to reprise their roles on the modern update. It lasted for five seasons before ending in 2013.
Peter M. Green (Mean Girls 2) and Howard Braunstein (The Informant!) are executive producing The Unauthorized Beverly Hills, 90210 Story, with Christian Bruyere (A Girl’s Best Friend) producing. Vanessa Parise (PopFan) is directing from a screenplay by Jeff Roda (Love Liza).
Production has not begun on the film, so get those casting suggestions in! Who are your picks for faux Priestley, Perry, Garth, Spelling, Doherty, Green and company? And does this mean Melrose Place is next?
Let’s just hope the cast photo doesn’t make us feel all kinds of awkward.
Earlier this year, Jason Priestley visited the ET stage to dish on his time on Beverly Hills, 90210!