Fran Drescher teases a potential return to the role of Fran Fine in a new movie revival of The Nanny, the ’90s sitcom that made her a household name.
With the 30th anniversary of The Nanny drawing near, original series star Fran Drescher has teased a potential movie revival. Created by Drescher and her former husband Peter Marc Jacobson, The Nanny first debuted on CBS in 1993 and ran for six seasons until 1999. Taking much of its inspiration from Drescher’s own life growing up in Queens, New York, the show centered on Drescher’s character Fran Fine landing a job as the caregiver for the three children of a wealthy Broadway producer, Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). Over the years, rumors of a potential revival have frequently popped up, often fed by Drescher’s own admitted interest in revisiting the property.
In addition to a Broadway musical adaptation of The Nanny, Drescher has also previously hinted at a potential feature film with the original cast returning. Now, in a new interview with Parade, Drescher has provided some hints about what such a movie could look like. Check out her comments below:
I think that the movie would be a combination of a new story and the original cast, somehow one would dovetail into another. We’re actually meeting with the president of Sony in a couple of weeks because it is The Nanny’s 30th anniversary come November and we want to discuss what we could possibly do to create some excitement for the fans in celebration of this auspicious occasion.
Would The Nanny Revival Work As A Movie?
Television audiences are no strangers to studios’ attempts to capitalize on beloved shows via revivals, remakes, and reboots. Projects like Netflix’s most recent reboot/sequel, That ‘90s Show, are just the latest in a long line of rehashed properties that stretch back decades. With many of the original audience members who first fell in love with The Nanny as children during its original run now parents with children of their own, it would seem the time is ripe for Drescher’s inevitable return as Fran Fine.
The question remains, however, is whether Drescher’s plans for a movie would suit her return as the loudmouthed caregiver. Film revivals are certainly not without precedent, much as 2014’s Veronica Mars movie proved before it generated enough interest to lead toward 2019’s season 4 revival. Furthermore, while many streaming services are appearing to become increasingly enamored with short-form series as the medium of choice for revivals, a one-off movie could satisfy a nostalgic itch without potentially overstaying its welcome.
Of course, the success of any plans for a revival of The Nanny will ultimately come down to whether Drescher can convince Shaughnessy and her other former co-stars to return to their roles. With screen veteran Renée Taylor, who played Fran’s mother Sylvia in the original series, about to turn 90 later this year, time may be running out for a potential reunion. Regardless of how it plays out, no doubt many will be keeping their fingers crossed that Drescher’s The Nanny movie gets the green light.
