Former Nickelodeon child stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell are returning to the big screen less than three years after they reunited in the sequel “Good Burger 2.” Their new movie, which starts filming this summer, “Kenan & Kel Meet Frankenstein,” is an ode to the 1948 classic film, “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” according to the duo.
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The announcement was made last week Tuesday at the conclusion of the Kevin Hart/Thompson-hosted Prime Video show, “Good Sports,” People reported. Mitchell and Thompson announced the upcoming movie project while Mitchell filled in as host for Hart.
“Kel and I have always loved finding new ways to work together, and this project felt like the perfect mix of nostalgia, comedy, and something completely unexpected,” Thompson said in a statement. “We’re excited to bring a fresh take on a classic monster story and have some fun doing it.”
This is the latest movie to feature Black actors remaking/reimagining roles originally cast with white actors. Remember these?
Original Movie: The Wizard of Oz | Black Rendition: The Wiz
The film “The Wizard of Oz” was released in 1939, based on the 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. The lead actor was Judy Garland, as it told the story of Dorothy Gale, who, along with her dog, gets swept up in a hurricane that lands them in Oz, where the house lands on the wicked witch of the East.
In the updated Black version, several contemporary Black actors took on the legendary roles in the renamed title, “The Wiz.” The movie, which starred Motown legend Diana Ross as the lead character, Dorothy, also featured Michael Jackson (in his only movie role), Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, and had appearances by Lena Horne, Mabel King, and Richard Pryor.
Original Television Show: The Honeymooners | Black Rendition: The Honeymooners
Although there was only one season of the 1955 sitcom, it became a classic about a fictional bus driver, Ralph Kramden, with big dreams and get-rich schemes, and his upstairs neighbor, Ed Norton. Their wives were always on deck when things didn’t go well, but their comedic dynamic catapulted the show to TV history. The comedy series starred Jackie Gleason as the lovable Brooklyn bus driver, and Art Carney as the best friend. The wives were played by Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph.
The revamped Black version of the television series was made into a movie starring Cedric the Entertainer as Ralph Kramden and Mike Epps as his sidekick, Norton. Filling in the roles of the long-suffering wives were Gabrielle Union as Alice Kramden, with Regina Hall as Trixie Norton.
Original Musical: Cinderella | Television Movie Featuring Black Lead Actors: Cinderella
Cinderella was a fairytale that originally aired on television as a musical in 1957. The story was adapted from a book of the same name by Oscar Hammerstein II. It told the story of a young girl with two stepsisters and a stepmother who were not kind to her, and who left her out when they were scheduled to go to the ball. But a fairy godmother magically appears and whisks Cinderella to the ball, where she becomes the center of attention. You know the rest of the story!
The first musical starred Julie Andrews, while the 1997 version featured Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, with a special appearance by Whoopi Goldberg, who retold the classic story.
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