A ‘MacGruber’ TV Series Is Actually Happening
What is the opposite of screaming KFBR392 at the top of your lungs? Because whatever that is called, that is the emotion we are feeling right now.
That’s because (per Variety) NBC’s new streaming service Peacock is developing a series based on MacGruber, the brilliant action movie spoof starring Will Forte that began life as a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch and then became one of the great comedies of the last decade (and also one of its biggest commercial flops, grossing less than $10 million in theaters, but that’s not important right now).
Here is the incredible — and I do mean incredible — plot synopsis provided by Variety:
After rotting in prison for over a decade, America’s ultimate hero and uber patriot MacGruber (played by Forte) is finally released. His mission: to take down a mysterious villain from his past—Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth. With the entire world in the crosshairs, MacGruber, Vicki, and Piper must race against time to defeat the forces of evil, only to find that evil may be lurking within.
Not Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth!
In the MacGruber film, Vicki was played by Kristen Wiig and Piper was Ryan Phillippe; if their characters are back, hopefully they’re back too. Obviously Forte is involved, as star, producer, and writer — along with director/co-writer Jorma Taccone and co-writer John Solomon.
Given the absolutely terrible performance of MacGruber in theaters, this is shocking news — and a testament to the degree that the film has slowly evolved into a true cult classic. For years, Taccone and Forte have said they’d want to make a MacGruber 2, but you had to assume it was a pipe dream. Who would let them after the first film bombed? A new up-and-coming streaming service like Peacock, desperate for appealing content that will actually convince potential customers to sign up, is the perfect spot for the character and his fans. Now Forte and company just have to make a show that lives up to the extremely high standards of classic MacGruber.
Gallery — The Best Comedy Movie Posters in History: