Nothing Ewing: Dallas Movie Drops Travolta

John Travolta by Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com

Attached to the big-screen adaptation of Dallas for more than two years, John Travolta has been released from the role of J.R Ewing and "given a nice seven-figure 'gift' to go away quietly," a source tells Page Six. A pal of the former Vinnie Barbarino confirms the news, saying the film's producers "have gone in a different direction than was originally intended."

What sort of different direction? Originally envisioned as a dramedy, the talk is that Dallas will now be a "comedic, behind-the-scenes" "show-within-a-show" a la Bewitched, and that Ben Stiller has been offered J.R.'s 10-gallon hat. Wow, there is just so much wrong with that previous sentence.

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Dec 17, 2007 9:24 AM

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This sounds like it could be the worst movie of 2008 or 2009.
Posted by TheNightStalker Dec 17, 2007 9:33 AM Report Abuse

Dallas will now be a "comedic, behind-the-scenes" "show-within-a-show" a la Bewitched

Yeah, because that worked so well for Bewitched.

This sounds like it could be the worst movie of 2008 or 2009.

TheNightStalker, it already had, before adding Ben Stiller and turning it into a comedy. Can't we declare a moratorium on adapting old TV shows for the big screen? Of all that have been done, are there more than one or two (if that many) that "worked"?

Posted by monkey65

Dec 17, 2007 9:45 AM

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I love Ben Stiller, but I'm just not seeing this. Bad. Idea.
Posted by Shannonm93 Dec 17, 2007 9:58 AM Report Abuse

I loathe John Travolta so I am ecstatic that he is no longer attached to this project - seeing as I loved loved loved Dallas way back when. But this new concept? A show within a show? I agree with Matt. That sounds awful. The Bewitched moview was terrible. Why do they think this is a good idea?
Posted by dakilman Dec 17, 2007 10:11 AM Report Abuse

Absolutely love Ben Stiller...but, there is no way I can imagine Ben as J.R. I don't know that I would have gone to see the movie, but I definitely thought John Travolta was going to make a great J.R. Ewing. That was great casting. Sounds like a joke now.
Posted by Greymatters Dec 17, 2007 10:15 AM Report Abuse

When a movie takes this long to get started and has as many changes it does not bode well for the movie. Never liked the idea of it being a comedy. It has become a sick joke. Big names do not mean a good movie. It is a blend of good writing, good direction, and a talented cast to create a movie worth watching. So far the mess has none of it.
Posted by kudagirl Dec 17, 2007 10:40 AM Report Abuse

Sounds like it has lots of suckage potential. How about Alec Baldwin as JR? He seems the type.
Posted by Kailess Dec 17, 2007 11:11 AM Report Abuse

When I heard they had cast John Travolta, I thought they were going for a comedy. He'd be a lot funnier than Ben Stiller in the role. (And I still love Ben Stiller.)
Posted by mooshki Dec 17, 2007 11:17 AM Report Abuse

I would be more apt to watch with John Travolta than Ben Stiller. I like Ben Stiller, but he is no JR Ewing.
Posted by kssunflower Dec 17, 2007 11:36 AM Report Abuse

I hope the dimwits behind this idea will see what's being said on the message boards (this isn't the only one I've been to where the consensus is almost universally against the idea), and they will realize they have nothing to gain by following through on such a bad concept.

I think if the Bewitched TV series had been released on its own, fans would've bought it in enough numbers to warrant a regular release schedule. I believe that awful Nicole Kidman movie soured a lot of fans on the fond memories they have of the show.

The only big-screen adaptation of a TV show that worked (in my opinion) are the two Brady Bunch theatrical movies, but that was a very unique circumstance. I remember when the Bradys were originally on in the 70s, everybody watched it, but we all made fun of it on the school bus the next day. A show like that is ripe for a clever comedy treatment. Dallas is nothing like that.

Finally, as much as I like Ben Stiller, I can't believe he would try this again after Starsky and Hutch.

Posted by TV Gord

Dec 17, 2007 12:06 PM

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Bewitched is the model? Because that was such a success? Someone pull the plug on this insult! Help us Jeebus!
Posted by whennow Dec 17, 2007 12:08 PM Report Abuse

This is SO disappointing. When they were first floating this idea around a few years ago it was in response to the whole Enron collapse and the dirty dealings that go on behind the scenes in the oil business in the 21st century. There was alot of good, juicy, SERIOUS ground they could have tilled.

The idea of a parody MIGHT have been funny the first 100 times a tv show was spoofed on the big screen. Yawn.

Posted by ctheslayer

Dec 17, 2007 12:20 PM

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I loved watching Dallas and I was actually looking forward to going to the movie. It's not that I love Travolta but he certainly has the look of a JR. When did JR become a skinny Jewish guy? Bewitched was a stupid movie and a stupid way to present it and I was sorry I went. I won't be suckered in again to a behind the scenes story. This has the makings of a Worst Movie of the Year award.
Posted by Mircat Dec 17, 2007 12:29 PM Report Abuse

The Bewitched movie was unwatchable. Un-watchable.
Posted by achyfakey Dec 17, 2007 12:38 PM Report Abuse

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