Elizabeth Banks Says Her ‘Flintstones’ Reboot Will Follow in the Footsteps of ‘South Park’ and ‘The Simpsons’
The Elizabeth Banks-led Flintstones reboot Bedrock will supposedly be the prehistoric protégé of South Park — the writers will have a field day choosing the name of Fred’s weed company.
The premise of the upcoming revival show will use an animated series sequel template almost as old as Bedrock itself: the Banks starred and produced series will focus on a grown-up Pebbles, voiced by Banks herself, and will feature “family-ish friendly” humor that seeks to emulate the tone and style of Banks’ favorite animated shows such as The Simpsons and Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s decidedly TV-MA television superhit.
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Though Bedrock does not yet have a release date, Banks assured us in an interview with TVLine that the show is definitely in development at Fox and that she’s “excitedly” working on it — which, in entertainment-speak, means that it will premiere sometime between now and the moment when the prehistoric family meets The Jetsons.
When asked how “adult” the comedy in Bedrock will be, Banks replied, “I think we still want it to be for co-viewing (by parents with their kids),” promising, “It will have adult themes, like all the greats — just like The Simpsons or South Park.”
Little has been revealed about Bedrock besides its illustrious cast list — Stephen Root and Amy Sedaris will round out the Flintstones family as Fred and Wilma respectively, with The Good Place’s Manny Jacinto and Nicole Byer plus Joe Lo Truglio of Brooklyn Nine-Nine fame playing Bamm-Bamm, Betty and Barney Rubble.
Flintstones fans will recall that a show about a grown-up Pebbles was already attempted to underwhelming results with The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, which played for just a single season in 1971. Though the show failed to modernize The Flintstones for the hip teens of the early 1970s, it may be time for a franchise that’s known to today’s youth as the faces from the vitamins to take another swing with the comically oversized club at pulling off a rebrand.
As for whether the tone and the style of Banks’ own animated favorites fits a franchise not known for more edgy or profane comedy, Banks said, “I mean, I let my kids watch South Park.”
