Audiences of a certain generation will fondly remember American Gladiators, the action-packed competition series that was massively popular during its original seven-season run between 1989 and 1996. Contestants were put through the physical wringer as they sought to defeat both treacherous obstacle courses and their titular opponents, and it was entertaining stuff.
Coinciding with the show being the subject of an upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, it’s been announced that new Amazon subsidiary MGM and professional wrestling juggernaut WWE are partnering up to produce an American Gladiators reboot, as per Deadline. In an inspired slice of brand synergy, the Gladiators will be brought to life by grapplers employed by Vince McMahon’s company, while Hulk Hogan coincidentally co-hosted the most recent iteration that lasted for two seasons back in 2008.
That version featured a couple of notable names, including Dwayne Johnson’s cousin and longtime stunt double Tanoai Reed as Toa, with Gina Carano making her first foray into the world of entertainment as Crush. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were shopping a reboot of their own a couple of years back to coincide with the 30th anniversary of American Gladiators that never got picked up, but MGM and WWE will be hoping to fare much better.
It continues the latter’s expansion outside of the wrestling space, with Netflix interactive special Escape the Undertaker arriving on October 5th, while Blumhouse are developing a TV series based on McMahon’s infamous steroid trial that saw him take on the might of the United States government and prevail.
