IT’S ALIVE!

Mel Brooks Working on TV Reboot of Iconic Comedy on Eve of Turning 99

The EGOT winner shows no sign of slowing down as he approaches triple figures.

Mel Brooks, who turns 99 on Saturday, is working on a TV adaptation of his Oscar-nominated 1974 comedy horror film Young Frankenstein. FX is developing Very Young Frankenstein as a TV series with Brooks as one of the executive producers. Inspired by Young Frankenstein, The Hollywood Reporter reports that while no one is ready to discuss the details of the project, it is close to landing a pilot at FX. In addition to Brooks, the project will involve What We Do in the Shadows’ producers Taika Waititi, Stefani Robinson, and Garrett Basch. Young Frankenstein, a parody of the horror genre, starred the late Gene Wilder in the title role. It ranked at No. 13 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time. Earlier this month, Amazon MGM set a 2027 release for a sequel to another Brooks classic, 1987’s Spaceballs. Brooks’ most recent TV appearance was in comedian Phil Rosenthal’s Somebody Feed Phil reality show, which aired last week. In a You Tube chat with Rosenthal released yesterday, Brooks joked he would struggle to attend a new production of his hit musical The Producers in the U.K. “It’s very difficult for me to get from the living room to the kitchen,” Brooks said. He is one of only 21 people to obtain EGOT status, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.