Lifetime Making 'Unauthorized Full House' Tell-All Movie

By Lesley Goldberg

Have Mercy! Lifetime has its follow-up to its Unauthorized Saved By the Bell TV movie: Full House.

The female-skewing cable network has greenlit The Unauthorized Full House Story, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

In the same vein that its Saved By the Bell pic did, Lifetime’s Full House Story will look at the rise of the cast — including John Stamos, Bob Saget and the Olsen twins — and explore the pressure on them to balance idyllic family life on the show with the more complicated reality of their own lives outside the series. Additionally, it will look at the warm bond that grew between the cast as the show became one of America’s most beloved family sitcoms.

Casting will begin immediately. An air date for the Full House tell-all has yet to be determined.

See more Broadcast TV’s Returning Shows 2015-16

Ron McGee, who penned the Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story, will write the Full House take. The telepic will be produced by the Bell team of Front Street Pictures and Ringaling Productions, with Harvey Kahn and Stephen Bulka also on board to exec produce.

For Lifetime, the news comes after its two-hour Bell take fizzled on Labor Day 2014. Despite tons of build-up and excitement from diehard fans of the original comedy series, the Bell take drew 1.6 million total viewers, with 1.1 million viewers among the 18-49 and 25-54 demographics. That pic was based on former star Dustin Diamond’s Behind the Bell 2009 tell-all, with Dylan Everett starring as Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Sam Kindseth as Diamond.

Full House aired on ABC from 1987 to 1995. Netflix this month revived the beloved family comedy as Fuller House, with original stars Candace Cameron-Bure (D.J.), her on-screen sister, Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie), and best friend Andrea Barber (Kimmy).

From its start as an unassuming family comedy in 1987 to its eventual wildly popular 192-episode run, Full House was “the little sitcom that could.” It made huge stars of its cast — from Bob Saget and Dave Coulier, who were grinding away on the standup circuit, to John Stamos breaking hearts on General Hospital and even the Olsen twins.