Cary Elwes is about to have a special reunion in Very Young Frankenstein.
Originally announced last year, Very Young Frankenstein is a comedy series inspired by Mel Brooks’ classic 1974 film Young Frankenstein. Brooks, now 99 years old, is returning as a producer on the series. In addition to Elwes, the Very Young Frankenstein cast includes Elwes, Kristof Konrad, Zach Galifianakis, Kumail Nanjiani, Dolly Wells, Spencer House, and Nikki Crawford.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns for M.I.A., Elwes gives a heartwarming update on his time working on Very Young Frankenstein and his reunion with Brooks. He felt that Brooks is “working harder than [he is],” praising the legendary producer. He has also appreciated working work Galifianakis and director Taika Waititi. Check out the full quote below:
ScreenRant: I think I’m almost out of time, so before I let you go, I still love Robin Hood: Men in Tights, rewatch it all the time. So, I’m thrilled that you’re getting back with Mel for Very Young Frankenstein. I’d love to hear about the opportunity of getting to work with him and that show’s creative team again, and what that world’s looking like so far.
Cary Elwes: Well, I’ve always wanted to work with Taika [Waititi]. I’ve been a huge fan of Taika’s work from his days in television, and then obviously in film with Jojo [Rabbit], and back into television. The fact that he decided to go from one medium to the other shows me that he’s a man who’s just interested in creating. He’s not particularly too choosy about what sort of a screen that is. But yeah, working with him, and working with Mel again after all these years, I told him he’s working harder than I am. And getting to work with Zach Galifianakis, who I’m a big fan of, who’s terrific as the very young Frankenstein is really a thrill.
As Hermanns mentions in his question, Elwes worked with Brooks much earlier in both of their careers, starring in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Much like Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, the 1993 film was a spoof of a classic story, this time more directly lampooning Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which was released a couple of years earlier.
Now, over three decades later, Elwes is back to working with Brooks again on Very Young Frankenstein. The show itself is almost a celebration of the career legacy of Brooks, inspired by a film released over a half century ago. For someone who has worked with Brooks before, this series must be a particular honor.
From what it sounds like, Very Young Frankenstein has also granted Elwes the opportunity to expand his horizons by working with new talent. There are others in the cast and crew who will be first-time collaborators of Elwes, but as a Waititi fan, he seems particularly honored by that connection.
Very Young Frankenstein will indeed be a great opportunity for Waititi to work in a medium in which he has shined in the past. Elwes is right to appreciate Waititi’s work in both mediums; for every film like Jojo Rabbit or Hunt for the Wilderpeople, there’s also a What We Do in the Shadows TV show or Reservation Dogs to match it in praise.
Ultimately, Very Young Frankenstein will be a grand opportunity for a powerhouse team of people to get together. The cast lineup contains enough hilarious people to keep this series as comedically sharp as Young Frankenstein was. As a producer, Brooks will be able to pass the torch of his famous film to the very capable hands of TV extraordinaire Waititi, while Elwes sits in awe.
