Animated reboots of Bewitched and The Partridge Family are in the works. Premiered first in 1964, Bewitched followed a witch named Samantha who, after marrying an ordinary mortal man, Darrin Stephens, vows to live the life of a typical suburban housewife but is unable to resist using her magical powers to solve everyday problems. The classic sitcom-inspired the 2005 film of the same name starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. On the other hand, The Partridge Family premiered in 1970 and is loosely based on the Cowsills, following a family of pop musicians who embark on humorous adventures.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony is developing animated takes on the two classic sitcoms, Bewitched and The Partridge Family. The animated reboots are said to be aimed at younger viewers. However, both projects are in early development and do not yet have writers attached due to the WGA strike. Sony Pictures Television executive Joe D’Ambrosia issued the following statement:
There’s such a vast history at Sony Pictures Television with properties that we could play around with and reinvent, introducing a whole new generation of kids to them.
Bewitched & The Partridge Family Animated Reboot Plot Details Explained
The animated Bewitched reboot focuses on Samantha and Darrin's 13-year-old daughter, Tabitha Stevens, who appeared in 103 episodes of the original sitcom played by Erin Murphy. Tabitha is now living a double life as she attends middle school while also being secretly enrolled in a magical academy run by her grandmother, Endora, who appeared in all 254 episodes of the original sitcom played by Agnes Moorehead. D’Ambrosia described the reboot's premise as "Hannah Montana meets Harry Potter." Focusing on Tabitha is a logical choice for the reboot geared at younger audiences given her age, wit, and mischievous nature.
The new take on The Partridge Family instead focuses on a musical Black family from Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood who runs a food truck throughout all five boroughs serving up treats and tunes. While the Bewitched reboot is bringing back several characters from the original sitcom, The Partridge Family keeps nothing from its original show other than its musical family premise, though it does continue a trend of race-swapped reboots of classic shows like The Wonder Years. Based on the plot details, both animated reboots present intriguing ideas for bringing the classic sitcoms to a new generation of younger audiences.
Source: THR