ABC’s television reboot of the beloved John Hughes film Uncle Buck will look very different if it airs. Indeed, it’s being reported that the pilot will feature an all African American cast.
On Tuesday, Showbiz411 reported that the new series will have an all black cast, including Uncle Buck himself. The character is listed as being in his late-20s to early-30s on the casting notices. He is described as a “wild and free-wheeling force of nature who has managed to lose every job and every girlfriend he’s ever had, but who still flies through life by the seat of his pants, never knowing what tomorrow will bring.”
Entertainment Weekly also confirmed the report.
John Candy starred in the original film, in which an uncle becomes a babysitter for his brother’s children. It was adapted into a short-lived series for CBS in 1990. The new project was first reported on in October.
No casting has been set for the new series, but it’s clear that the shift to an all-black cast is in response to the stunning success ABC has had with Black-ish and How To Get Away With Murder. Fox has also scored an enormous hit with Empire.