The BBC series Grange Hill was praised for dealing with tough, taboo storylines during the 70s to the late 2000s like drug abuse, teen pregnancy, sexuality and HIV. But after 14 years of being off-air, the show is set for a movie reboot.
Phil Redmond, who was responsible for the hard-hitting series set in a school, as well as the soap opera’s Brookside and Hollyoaks, recently told The Guardian that Grange Hill has to be told in movie format, as television has “lost the wider ambition” and streaming has its limits.
The BBC cut the series after 30 years of airing and eight seasons, but Redmond feels that similar school-related series streaming currently like Sex Education only “look at the characters in the precinct, not the influence of the wider community”.
What will happen in Grange Hill the movie?
Redmond told BBC Breakfast that the movie version of Grange Hill will tackle more relevant subjects in today’s climate like grief, social media and the rebuilding of schools, as the ageing head teacher fights against a deputy head who toys with the idea of building a proposed “super school”.
He told the TV show: "We’ve been through four school-rebuilding programmes in my lifetime, but it’s not about bricks and mortar, it’s about getting the best out of every pupil. How will ripping schools out of communities solve anything? Or making catchment areas so big that kids have to travel miles to be with their friends?”
"That’s the thesis of the movie: it’s decided the school is costing too much to maintain so it should be knocked down, the land sold and proceeds used to build a new one and replenish local coffers," he said.
"I've always had a strand about kids having the same emotions and fears, aspirations and phobias as everybody else. They only lack the life experience.”
“Rather than riots in the dining hall, this time their voices are heard through social media, a rebuttal unit run by the school geek against council propaganda," he said, noting how times have indeed changed for students.
Who’s in the cast for Grange Hill the movie?
Redmond confirmed to The Guardian that he has a script in tow, and is looking to begin casting soon.
The movie is expected to feature former cast members from the original show to take the places of new students’ parents or grandparents.
It’s predicted that the movie will feature a lot of fresh talent and new faces, as they prepare for re-booted school life.
When is Grange Hill the movie’s release date?
The creator, Redmond, hasn’t officially confirmed a release date for Grange Hill the movie, but it’s predicted that the movie will be scheduled for a release later this year, or early 2023.
Once we’ve got a definitive release date, we’ll let you know right here.
Grange Hill the movie trailer
As news has only just recently dropped about the upcoming Grange Hill movie and production is yet to begin, it’s too early for a trailer just yet.
Keep checking back though, as we'll drop one right here as soon as it's released.
Featured Image Credit: The BBCTopics: BBC, TV and Film
Gabriella Ferlita