Photo: John Kisch Archive/Getty
Reubens, who has portrayed Pee-wee Herman for decades, is trying to sell a screenplay that sees the character grapple with a pill and alcohol addiction that makes him a “monster,” according to a recent interview with the comedian inThe Hollywood Reporter.
THRreports that the script would follow Pee-wee Herman after he gets out of prison and becomes a famous Hollywood star, before falling into “severe” addiction. According to the outlet, the first draft of the script was written in the late 1990s, after Reubens himself wasarrestedfor indecent exposure in 1991.
“I’ve referred to it as theValley of the DollsPee-wee movie,” Reubens, 67, toldTHR. “It’s about fame.”
According toTHR, Reubens has been unable to find a buyer for the script — Netflix reportedly passed on it — but has been in contact with brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, the directors behind theAdam Sandler-starringUncut Gems. The magazine reports that the brothers are “considering the project.”
Josh and Benny Safdie.Dia Dipasupil/Getty
Reubens also toldTHRthat he wants to use de-aging technology to keep the childlike Pee-wee Herman looking the same way he did in the 1980s.
Pee-wee Herman.Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
“I do feel like it’s going to probably happen,” Reubens added of his idea for the gritty reboot. “I have a couple of people that are interested. But this is Hollywood. A couple people interested and five bucks will get you five bucks.”
Pee-wee Herman last made an appearance inPee-wee’s Big Holiday, which was released on Netflix in 2016.
“I get to do something I love, that I created and that I made all the rules up to,” Reubenstold PEOPLEat the time. “It’s been fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better adventure.”
Last month, Reubens announced that he would begoing on tour in celebration of the 35th anniversaryof his breakout film,Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. The actor will host screenings of the film and then speak to audiences, telling behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the 1985 film.
source: people.com
