In much the same manner as Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral, 2020’s High Fidelity is set to reboot another classic romantic comedy into a TV show. The TV show has a lot to live up to, as the 2000 movie with the same name received critical acclaim and was named the 446th greatest movie of all time by Empire Magazine, as well as the 14th greatest romantic comedy of all time by Rotten Tomatoes.
However, while some fans may be concerned about the reboot, the fact that Zoë Kravitz (future Catwoman) is on board can allow us all to rest easy. This article will list everything we know about the High Fidelity reboot.
Based on the 1995 book Of The Same Name
While the upcoming Hulu TV series is an adaptation of the 2000 romantic comedy, High Fidelity; both the TV series and the movie are based on the classic book of the same name. While both adaptations are set in the USA, the book is actually set in London.
The plot is based around Rob, a struggling record store owner with a complicated romantic life. Despite the location change in both adaptations, the TV show is said to be closely following the book in its central plot points.
Gender Swap
Perhaps the biggest difference in the upcoming adaptation of High Fidelity is the change in gender of the main character. While the main character in the 2000 movie was played by John Cusack, the central role will instead go to Zoë Kravitz in the reboot.
This will undoubtedly irk some fans of the book and the original movie, but Zoë Kravitz is a fantastic actress and she is certain to excel in the role of Rob.
Blessing of Nick Hornby
Despite the fact that both the location of his book and the gender of his main character have changed in the Hulu adaptation, the author of the novel, Nick Hornby, has given his blessing for the TV series. This is important to keep in mind for those fans who are concerned about the series.
If the author of the book is prepared to allow so much to change, then he must be doing so in good faith. In other words, he must be happy with the direction of the series overall and this should be enough to settle any worries fans may have about the reboot.
Zoë Kravitz Plays A Record Store Owner
The TV series will still hold fairly close to the original plot of both the book and the movie, with the plot revolving around the owner of a record store and their complicated love life. However, what could be interesting about this adaptation is how it has been updated for the modern-day.
One particularly interesting element of a plot update would be centered around the record store itself. In the 90s-2000s, vinyl records were dying out and this was an integral part of the original plot of the movie and book. It could be interesting, then, to see how the TV show adapts to the recent, real-world resurgence in popularity of the vinyl record and how or if this will influence the plot of the reboot.
Made By Hulu
The TV series, as mentioned earlier, is being released by Hulu in the United States. This may be the second path towards a trend for the online streaming platform. Last year, Hulu released TV reboot of the classic British romantic comedy, Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Due to the fact that High Fidelity is a Hulu property, fans of the novel or Zoë Kravitz will have to subscribe to the streaming service in order to watch the TV series.
Written By John Cusack
For those who are unaware, John Cusack was the lead actor in the original 2000 adaptation of the High Fidelity novel. Aside from being the lead actor in the movie, Cusack also had a heavy influence on the production of the movie and was responsible for getting Bruce Springsteen to agree to a cameo in the movie.
Due to his prior connections to the High Fidelity property, the actor is also helping to produce the TV show, with John Cusack claiming a writing credit for the Hulu reboot of the TV show.
Premieres On Valentine’s Day
The show has been in production since 2018, with various different studios attempting to produce the TV series before ultimately passing on the property. However, after Hulu started production, the show began to move along more swiftly and hired Zoë Kravitz as the lead.
Fortunately for those who have been looking forward to the release of this TV series since news of its production was announced in 2018, you will not have to wait too much longer. The series is set to premiere on February 14th, 2020.
Based in Brooklyn
While the book took place in London, both adaptations have opted to set the story in the USA. In the case of the Zoë Kravitz adaptation, the series will be set in Brooklyn. While the change of location may have been made to make the series more appealing to American viewers, the setting could influence the story.
As the series is based heavily on music and its influence on our lives, perhaps the iconic Brooklyn music scene will be important to the story. The change of location will certainly allow for a fresh experience for fans of both the novel and the original adaptation.
10 Episodes
The series has been confirmed to only last for 10 episodes. While this may be disappointing to some fans of the story, it will still allow for more than enough exploration of the characters and the iconic story.
Additionally, the limit of 10 episodes may also stop the show from introducing ‘filler’ episodes. This will allow the series to remain fresh and stick to the important story beats.
It Was Originally Going To Be on Disney+
Originally, High Fidelity was going to be made for the then-unnamed Disney streaming service. However, in April of 2019, it was announced that the series had grown in such a way that it would be far more suited to the Hulu style of programming.
Perhaps this means that the series will be more adult orientated, which is certainly in keeping with the themes of the book. Disney Plus has been criticized for a lack of non-family friendly content, so it would make sense for the House of Mouse’s streaming service to pass up on the property.
