Just when you thought they couldn’t possibly do ANY MORE ‘Step Up’ movies, the creators have decided to turn the franchise into a TV series — by way of YouTube.
via Variety:
Lionsgate is bringing the Channing Tatum starrer to YouTube Red with the actor on board as an executive producer along with his wife and co-star in the films, Jenna Dewan Tatum, and the five films’ original executive producers Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Meredith Milton. Series will bow in 2017.
Susanne Daniels, head of YouTube Originals, said she had been chasing the project since before coming over from the top programming job at MTV a year ago. She praised YouTube Red as a natural home for the franchise.
“We know dance is a hugely successfully global audience on YouTube,” said Daniels.
Launched in 2006, “Step Up” spawned four sequels and collected $650 million at the box office worldwide, establishing Tatum as a major star.
“After five exciting and successful movies, we’re proud to partner with YouTube Red, a major new force on the programming landscape, to adapt the films into an adrenaline-filled original drama series driven by its non-stop energy, spectacular dancing and A-list creative talent,” said Lionsgate Television Group chairman Kevin Beggs in a statement.
“Step Up” was one of six new projects Daniels unveiled at Vidcon, including vehicles for some of the platform’s brightest stars like VSauce, Dan & Phil, Rhett & Link and Vanoss Gaming. YouTube Red also renewed some of its first-ever series “Scare PewDiePie,” “Foursome” and a film project with the Defy Media comedy duo Smosh, which had a TV series in the first slate.
We’ll see how this goes.
