‘Varsity Blues’ TV Series Adaptation In Works At CMT From Paramount TV

EXCLUSIVE: Varsity Blues is headed to television. CMT is developing a TV series inspired by the cult 1999 football movie. The network has ordered a script for the project, which will be penned by W. Peter Iliff, writer of the original movie that starred James Van Der Beek. Paramount TV, whose parent Paramount Pictures distributed the film, is producing.

The 1999 feature, directed by Brian Robbins, starred Van Der Beek as a back-up quarterback who is chosen to lead a Texas football team to victory after the star quarterback is injured as he butts heads with his football-obsessed father (Thomas Duffy) and abusive coach (Jon Voight). Watch a trailer below.

Perhaps best known for writing the 1991 cult classic Point Break, starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, Iliff recently wrote the Glass Axes pilot for Netflix, as well as Beats Per Minute for All Edge Entertainment and Fortress Features, which centers on a young American deejay’s treacherous rise to stardom in Amsterdam’s EDM scene. His other feature credits include Rights of Passage, Patriot Games and Under Suspicion. Iliff is repped by APA, and Zero Gravity attorney Fred Toczek.

CMT, which has been making strides in original scripted programming, recently picked up country drama series Nashville after it was canceled by ABC.