Earlier in April, Paramount announced they greenlit a prequel to Grease, titled Summer Loving! While we wait for the release date to be announced, we’ll be re-watching the original, the adaptations, blasting the soundtrack, and rocking some of our favorite Grease tees along the way.
The Legacy
Grease is one of the only films to be more popular than its original medium as a Broadway musical. In 1978, it introduced us to one of the best-selling singles of all time, “You’re The One That I Want,” and had us wishing we could rock a leather jacket in the 1950s with our crew. There are so many moments from Grease that influenced Hollywood films forever: the cartoon opening credits backed by Frankie Valli’s vocals, the Hand Jive, and the famous car race in the LA River, which inspired so many other films to feature the location. Only Grease’s legacy could stir the masses with excitement with the announcement of a prequel, decades later.
Summer Nights
One of the most iconic songs in the film made its appearance a few scenes into the movie. Who could forget John Travolta’s Danny Zuko climbing the bleachers, crooning to the T-Birds, all the dirty details of his summer love with Olivia Newton John’s Sandy, while she tells the Pink Ladies all the romantic, longing versions of the same relationship. The upcoming prequel will show exactly what happened during those “Summer Niiiiiiiiights,” so we can finally see which version was more accurate in their sing-song accounts. The potential conversations this opens up could be vital to today’s society: interpretations in relationships, consent, social pressures, cliques, etc. The exploration of these topics of social impact is at the forefront in Hollywood today and could make this prequel as much a cultural movement as the original Grease still is today.
Sequels & Adaptations
Grease 2, which followed Sandy’s cousin Michael in the same predicament with Michelle Pfeiffer’s Pink Lady, Stephanie, was released in 1982 and was unfortunately poorly received. Let’s just say it’s not one of our top five 80’s movies. So why create another movie? Well, the $400 million made after annual sing-a-long releases of the original Grease may have been an incentive. But more recently, the 2016 Grease Live! adaptation, which aired on Fox, had some jaw-dropping performances by Aaron Tveit, Julianne Hough, and the most surprising, Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo. It also won five Emmys. Whether you love the original, the acquired taste of Grease 2, or the live versions (on the small screen and the stage), we have the Grease tees for you to represent your favorite characters.
Tell Me More, Tell Me More
What we’re wondering is, what else will we see in the prequel? If it takes place in the summer, we might not get to see our precious Rydell High. More importantly, there better be plenty of Kenickie and the rest of the T-Birds cruising around town in Greased Lightning. Will we see Frenchie falling in love with cosmetology, which eventually leads to her attending (and dropping out of) beauty school? Personally, we’re hoping we’ll see Rizzo’s summer flings just as much as Danny and Sandy! The biggest question is, who will be cast in all these well-known roles?
While you speculate over the casting and re-learn the Hand Jive, make sure to check out our Grease tees! Over 40 years later, Grease is definitely still the word.