Tom Selleck, who played the title character on "Magnum, P.I." in the hit 1980s series, says celebrated author Tom Clancy, who died Tuesday, wanted to see the show on the big screen.
Selleck said during an interview with Yahoo that he and Clancy had tried to make the film happen. The interview was posted the day
Clancy, 66, died in a Baltimore hospital.
Editor's Note: ObamaCare Is Here. Are You Prepared?
Several of Clancy's best-selling books, including "The Hunt For Red October" and "Patriot Games," have been adapted into films.
“Tom Clancy is a huge 'Magnum' fan,” Selleck, 68, said in response to a question about the possibility of another "Magnum."
“In the early '90s, he'd done a couple of wildly successful movie adaptations of his books. We got together, and I went to Universal, and I said ‘It's time we could do a series of feature films.’ They were very interested, and I had Tom, who wanted to do the story, and I had this package put together, but Universal's the only studio that could make it, and they went through three ownership changes in the '90s, and I think that was the real window for 'Magnum.'"
Even if another film is made, Selleck told Yahoo he doesn’t think producers see him playing the Hawaii-based private investigator.
“Hollywood and feature films has a tendency to buy a TV title, spend $150 million on it, and put big explosions in it and make fun of it, and that will not work with ‘Magnum.’ We still have a huge following. The only other aspect is, if we're ever going to see a reunion show, I think that a ‘Magnum’ movie would have a reunion aspect, but reunion TV movies are simply to see how everybody's aged.”
Commenters were saddened to learn Selleck may not star in a big screen version of the popular television show.
"I love his acting, everything I have seem him in was the greatest. Do not remake Magnum unless he is in it. You will destroy the show with anybody else," wrote one poster.
"MAGNUM movie!! a must. got to be Tom Selleck," wrote another.
Editor's Note: Do You Support Obamacare? Vote in Urgent National Poll
Related stories:
'Blue Bloods' a Welcome Return for Tom Selleck
Hollywood Celebrities Hide Conservative Views