Dog lovers will have another movie to look forward to and it's one that has had a huge impact before. "Benji," which became a hit in theaters in 1974 and has spawned different spinoffs that ran until 2004, will be getting a reboot. Filming is said to be already underway in New Orleans.
The "Benji" reboot will come from Brandon Camp, whose father, Joe, was behind the first movie and its spinoffs. "Benji" will be a modern take on a rescue dog, who will be played by a scruffy rescue mutt. The AV Club reports that the dog was found in an abandoned parking lot and was eventually taken in by Humane Society.
Also in the cast is Kiele Sanchez, who starred in "The Purge: Anarchy." She will be joined by Gabriel Bateman, Darby Camp, Jerod Haynes, Will Rothhaar, Angus Sampson, Deadline reports.
Blumhouse is the studio responsible for bringing the "Benji" reboot, which observers note is highly unexpected. The company is known for churning horrors and thrillers, as well as non-genre films that have earned mild success with critics and the box office. Camp has apparently been trying to find a partner to bring back "Benji" for years and Blumhouse offered him the best deal.
The film has also hired Mark Forbes as the animal consultant for "Benji." According to Movie Web, he has worked on the set of "Marley & Me" and "We Bought a Zoo."
The 1974 "Benji" movie was a story about a stray dog who was instrumental in the rescue of two kidnapped children. The family eventually adopted the dog and went on different adventures together.
According to another Deadline report, when "Benji" was released dog adoption at shelter sites surged across America. The reboot has no release date just yet, but it would be exciting to see how this will impact families and rescue dogs again. Watch the new "Benji" in his "Today" show appearance or check it out the video below.
