Plans for a Russian Blackadder

Ben Elton has plans for a movie version of Blackadder, set during the Russian revolution.

Rumours about a possible fifth series has previously speculated that it would either be set in the Second World War or revolve around the exploits a Sixties pop band.

But in a webchat, Stephen Fry revealed that writer Elton had considered a one-off feature-length episode, set in the last days of the Tsars.

And he added that Rowan Atkinson was only recently reminiscing about the glory days of Blackadder, which would fuel hopes of its return.

However, Fry warned fans not to get too optimistic.  

‘We sometimes talk of future Blackadder plotlines, the 60s, WWII, that sort of thing,’ he said. ‘But it never comes to much.

‘[There’s] a lot of feeling that we left it (discounting the millennium special) on such a high note that it would be a bad idea to go back.

‘I chatted to Rowan at the weekend, he's doing a Bean movie in France and confided that he missed the joys of Blackadder rehearsals and all that. But there's nothing worse than an overweight boxer past his prime lumbering into the ring past his sell by date. Best not risk it, eh?’

But then he added: ‘Ben Elton wanted to do a Blackadder movie set in the Russian Revolution, with a Russian branch of the family. He had some brilliant ideas - maybe that'll happen one day.’

His comments came in a webchat with the Douglas Adams Continuum, a fan website for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author.

And he also revealed that he has dropped his plans to wrie an episode of Doctor Who.

He had been in talks with the BBC about creating a storyline, possibly set in the days of King Arthur.

But he said: ‘Unfortunately, I've had to pull out of the Dr Who gig. I couldn't find three minutes to string together. Barely enough time to go to the lavatory these days, let alone take on new projects.’

 

Published: 16 Jun 2006