Keke Palmer will lead an upcoming series adaptation of the 1989 cult flick The ‘Burbs for Peacock. The Joe Dante (Gremlins) horror comedy starred Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher and centered on a group of suburban neighbors convinced that the new family on the block is part of a murderous Satanic cult. As per Variety, the forthcoming series will film on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood, the same spot where the 1989 movie was shot. Peacock is joining forces with Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) for the upcoming series, which has earned a straight-to-series order.
Check out the show’s official synopsis below:
“Set in present-day suburbia, ‘
The ‘Burbs’
follows a young couple (with Palmer playing the wife) returning to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbors move in next door, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.”
The ‘Burbs was one of Hanks’ earlier films (and released in the same year as Turner Hooch) but followed his successful outing in 1988’s Big; Fisher was a well-known name for her iconic portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. The ‘Burbs premiered at the number one spot at the box office during its opening weekend, but lingered somewhere in the middle with critics, as some felt it struggled to find its footing as a comedy, horror, or suburban satire. However, The ‘Burbs has garnered a cult following over the years, making it a prime candidate for a reboot or reimagined version.
Celeste Hughey, who wrote several episodes of the critically acclaimed Dead to Me and earned an Emmy nomination for her work on Palm Royale, will write the upcoming The ‘Burbs. Palmer, Hughey, MacFarlane, Erica Huggins and Aimee Carlson for Fuzzy Door, Brian Grazer, and Kristen Zolner and Natalie Berkus for Imagine Entertainment will executive produce. Dana Olsen, who scribed the 1989 film, has joined the project as a co-executive producer. Universal Studio Group’s UCP is the studio behind the series.
Keke Palmer’s Return to Episodic Horror
Palmer is a talented multi-hyphenate who began her career as a child actress in 2004’s Barbershop 2: Back in Business. She gained acclaim for her work in 2006’s Akeelah and the Bee, before joining the Nickelodeon universe as the titular character in True Jackson, VP. In recent years, Palmer has appeared in several celebrated horror projects, including Jordan Peele’s Nope, Scream: Resurrection, and Scream Queens. Other notable credits include Animal, Pimp, and Hustlers.
While Peacock has yet to announce additional cast members for The ‘Burbs, it would be great to see Palmer reunite with her Scream Queens co-star Billie Lourd for the project. Lourd, the daughter of the late Fisher, recently said she’d love to return to the Star Wars franchise “in any way possible,” and this could be a fun way to see her tied into another one of her mother’s beloved projects.
Palmer has several upcoming projects, including Sister Act 3 and Good Fortune, which marks Aziz Ansari’s feature directorial debut. The film, which also stars Ansari, Seth Rogen, and Keanu Reeves, follows a struggling man who gets his life swapped with his wealthy friend by a mystical force.