'Grease' prequel 'Summer Loving' in the works, to explore Sandy and Danny's early love
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In what happens to be the best news for 'Grease' fans, Paramount is reportedly developing a prequel to the iconic movie, which will be titled 'Summer Loving', and will finally answer the age-old question of what really happened the summer night when the two main characters, Danny Zucko and Sandy Olsson met.
The new movie will, as per Hollywood Reporter, give more backstory on Danny and Sandy, roles which were made famous all over the world by John Travolta and Olivia-Newton John. John August, the veteran writer behind such films as 'Big Fish' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' will take charge of writing duties for the prequel.
As fans of the legendary musical comedy would recall, 'Grease' picked up after Danny and Sandy returned to school post their summer break. The 1978 classic opened with a musical number where Danny sings a risque tale of his encounter with an Aussie babe over the summer to his T-Bird friends.
Meanwhile Sandy, who returns as a new exchange student, recounted to the other Pink Ladies a much more romantic version of events from her summer spent with Danny. The couple and the retelling of their summer love to their friends gave birth to one of the movie’s most iconic songs “Summer Nights.”
The song paints a picture of young, carefree love in the summer before Sandy and Danny found themselves expressing clashing school personas in social cliques at Rydell High School. As per reports, the premise of the new movie will basically be turning the 'Summer Nights' song into an entire movie, giving further insight into the fateful summer that brought Danny and Sandy into each other's lives.
Before they found 'Grease', Travolta was a 24-year-old TV heartthrob on 'Welcome Back, Kotter', while Newton-John was a huge music star, with a string of Top 10 hits. The two recently celebrated the movie’s 40th anniversary and recounted the good times they spent on the sets of the classic musical.
“They were desperately looking for a Sandy,” Travolta said in an interview at the time. “I said, ‘There is only one person that should play this role and it’s Olivia Newton-John…She’s every guy’s dream.’” The pair, who rumoredly dated each other in the past, continue to remain very good friends.
“We text!” said Newton-John of their bond. “We did something life-changing, making that film. I feel grateful to have worked with him.”
