‘Rockford Files’ Reboot Gets NBC Pilot Order

NBC has given out a pilot order to a reboot of the classic series “The Rockford Files.”

The pilot hails from writer and executive producer Mike Daniels. Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman will executive produce, with Chris Leanza co-executive producing. Universal Television is the studio.

The original “Rockford Files,” created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell, aired on NBC from 1974-1980 with James Garner in the lead role. The official logline for the reboot states:

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“A contemporary update on the classic series of the same name. Newly paroled after doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, James Rockford returns to his life as a private investigator using his charm and wit to solve cases around Los Angeles. It doesn’t take long for his quest for legitimacy to land him squarely in the crosshairs of both local police and organized crime.”

Along with Garner, the original show also starred Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos, Gretchen Corbett, and Stuart Margolin. The show ultimately aired for over 120 episodes, while Garner reprised the role of Rockford in eight TV movies at CBS between 1994 and 1999.

Daniels previously created the NBC drama series “The Village,” while he also worked on NBC shows like “Bluff City Law,” “Shades of Blue,” and “Taken.” He also worked on the Peacock shows “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” and “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin.”

He is repped by WME and Jackoway Austen.

There have been various attempts to reboot “The Rockford Files” over the years, including a failed 2009 NBC pilot starring Dermot Mulroney that was produced by Steve Carrell. Universal Pictures also developed a feature film version that was to star Vince Vaughn, though it never moved forward.

According to sources, NBC is looking to make a number of pilots this year, with “The Rockford Files” being the first to get a formal pickup. The broadcaster will likely pick up two to three more dramas and around the same number of comedies. This would mark a significant uptick compared to recent years, during which the traditional broadcast pilot season has all but become a thing of the past.