The Crystal Maze is possibly getting a US version

Before I say this, it must be taken with a wheelbarrow sized pinch of salt so prepare accordingly. An article popped up online today suggesting the possibility of a US version of everyone's favourite British game show devised by a Frenchman.

https://www.c21media.net/banijays-crystal-maze-leads-to-us/

For a bit of background, as I understand it, the ownership of the show is as follows:

TCM is produced by Fizz, which is owned by RDF Television, which itself is a subsidiary of Banijay Group after BG bought RDF's parent company Zodiak Media. I think this is how it goes, I may not be 100% accurate but I know the name above the door at the top of the pile is Banijay Group.

An American producer by the name of Bunim Murray Productions, which is also under the Banijay Group umbrella, is wanting to shop the format around to US broadcasters. BMP being the people who brought the world 'Surviving R Kelly' and some unknown thing called 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians', so TCM seems like something a bit different for them.

The sales video used for MIPCOM, an international television industry trade show

Before everyone gets defensive and protective, with admittedly very good reason (US versions of UK source material rarely succeed), let's just take a quick look at this situation with a positive light on it.

First off, it probably won't happen. Many, many formats pitched in America rarely make the pilot stage. Secondly, if it does get that far I would bet on the pilot being filmed at the Bottleyard in Bristol. It would be far cheaper to simply use the original set and fly out an American host and contestants. This has been done before in TV, the first series of Phillip Schofield's 5 Gold Rings was filmed in the Netherlands on the set of the Dutch original. Also, when 'The Cube' was being lined up for a US run, the pilot was filmed on the UK set and that was it, the show wasn't picked up and all that exists of that filming is this four seconds...

So should a pilot get filmed, that could well be it.

However, if it isn't and a series goes into production there are options: A) a set is built in America and looks very expensive rendering our original looking rather underwhelming or they make no effort at all with it, or B) They use our set, in the same way Fort Boyard is used by companies worldwide, and with any luck it's this option that happens because that could bring in money to allow improvements to the set. A water tank isn't cheap you know.

Like I say though, it's not a definite thing that is going to happen yet. We shall keep you updated.

In other news closer to home, E4 have started showing TCM revival repeats at 5pm before The Big Bang Theory, although if you've already seen every TBBT episode more often than you've seen every episode of Friends then you can switch over to Challenge at 6pm for the original series. Two hours of tea-time TCM every weeknight. Sit your kids down. Sausage, chips, and beans for tea (I'm Northern, its tea, get over it) and have a bit of family time watching Rob's adventure into space.

EDIT: seems like this blog is getting more reads than our usual amount, so let us know what you think? Are you American and looking forward to your own version to apply for and have a go on? Do you think it could work? Whatever you've got to say about it, we want to hear it. Leave a message below, or find me on Reddit HERE, or on YouTube HERE

UPDATE: Sooooo... It's happening.