Released in 1980, The Blues Brothers — starring Saturday Night Live comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi — is still considered a cult classic today.
Having been inspired by the SNL sketches created by the comedic duo, the film was set in Chicago and followed Jake and Elwood Blues as they try to get their R&B group back together in order to raise $5,000 in order to save the orphanage in which they were raised.
The late John Candy and Carrie Fisher also starred, and the soundtrack was packed with hits from James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker.
Now, a docuseries about the classic characters is in the works with Aykroyd set to produce alongside Belushi’s widow Judith Belushi-Pisano, as well as her son Lucas Pisano.
“Last year, The Blues Brothers film was selected by The Library of Congress to the National Film Registry, and being in this most worthwhile cultural preservation initiative made us realize there remains more to this story,” said Aykroyd in a statement.
“Judy and I are pleased to collaborate with Utopia Originals to produce the only authorized, optimized, socio-forensic examination of the Blues Brothers and the world that created and embraces them.”
The docuseries does not yet have a title but is said to feature unseen materials and dive into the history, music catalogue and legacy of the characters, as well as the actors behind them and the friendship they shared.
According to a press statement, the series will also tackle “the sensitivities of race in the music industry and reveals the mindsets, intentions and follow-through of the creators.”
“Much will be revealed that even I, as one of the originators, might not have been aware of. In the end, it will be all about the artists and their music,” says Aykroyd.
Added Belushi-Pisano, “Opening that door is interesting and exciting and undoubtedly will bring a great deal of depth to the project. With this collaboration, we continue Dan and John’s original mission to share their passion for this music and, foremost, to celebrate the artists who created it. We expect this to be a significant historical and cultural investigation.”
Now 69-years-old, Aykroyd is the only surviving member of the main cast of The Blues Brother film. Belushi, who had very publicly battled with severe addiction issues, died at Chateau Marmont hotel in West Hollywood, California in 1982 from combined drug intoxication. He was 33.
Candy died of a heart attack at the age of 43 in 1994, while Fisher passed away in December 2016.
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