Cult college football series Blue Mountain State‘s comeback is inching closer to reality. A sequel to the 2010 comedy from Lionsgate TV, with Reacher’s Alan Ritchson set to reprise his role as Kevin “Thad” Castle, hit the marketplace a year ago. Soon thereafter, it was quietly set up for development at Prime Video, home of Reacher, and Amazon MGM Studios, where Ritchson has a first-look deal.
According to sources, development is now in its final stages, with a greenlight decision expected within a month or two. Signs have been promising, and Ritchson himself gave the new installment his seal of approval, calling it “perfect.”
“We’re actually setting it up with Amazon,” he said during a press conference at the Daytona 500 Sunday. “We are going to make a fourth season happen; I’m trying to work it into my schedule. Honestly, I think it’s going to be the best season of BMS we’ve ever had. It is so damn funny, and it’s the perfect, the way we resurrect the characters and bring them into the way that things are now.” (Watch a video of his comments below.)
Ritchson is a top talent on Amazon’s roster, which explains why Blue Mountain State was bought preemptively last spring, according to sources. The importance of Ritchson and the Reacher franchise to the streamer may also factor into the pickup decision on BMS, with Amazon working with Ritchson’s team to find a window on his schedule an indication of their intentions to make the show.
BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, Alan Ritchson, (Season 1, 2010), 2010-11. photo: ©Lionsgate TV / Courtesy: Everett Collection
Lionsgate TV / Courtesy: Everett Collection
As Deadline reported last year, the original series’ co-leads Darin Brooks and Chris Romano also are expected to be back for the followup.
Following its original three-season run on cable network Spike, Blue Mountain State has found new audience on Netflix, cementing its cult status.
Created by Chris Romano and Eric Falconer, who also are believed to be back for the sequel, Blue Mountain State is about a fictitious university, Blue Mountain State, and its football team, the Mountain Goats. It centers on three incoming freshman — played by Darin Brooks, Alan Ritchson and Chris Romano — who must quickly adapt to college life and juggle football, girls, classes and nonstop hazing. Ritchson’s Kevin “Thad” Castle was the ever-inspiring team captain of the BMS football team.
Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, a followup movie, Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland, was released in 2016 with Brooks, Ritchson and Roman reprising their roles.
