Hey there, TV fans. Let me tell you something cool. Reboots of classic TV shows are all the rage these days, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are direct continuations of the original series, like Will & Grace or Roseanne/The Conners. Others bring in a fresh cast and update the storylines, like Hawaii 5-0, MacGyver, Charmed, and Magnum, P.I.. But here's a twist: The Banana Splits, that beloved Saturday morning show from 1968 to 1970, is back—but this time, it's not just a kiddie show. Nope, it's a full-blown horror movie! You can download it digitally starting August 13, and it'll hit Syfy for its TV premiere in October. How wild is that?

Origins of the Banana Crew

Now, let's rewind for a second. The original Banana Splits show has some serious pedigree behind it. It was created by none other than William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the masterminds behind animated classics like The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and so many others that have fueled the imaginations of kids across generations. But here's the kicker: The Banana Splits wasn't just another cartoon. It was different. It featured live-action segments with costumed characters who weren’t just mascots—they were part of a bubblegum rock band! You had Fleegle, the beagle voiced by the legendary Paul Winchell (you might know him as the voice of Tigger), Bingo the ape voiced by Daws Butler, Drooper the lion voiced by Allan Melvin, and Snorky, the mute elephant. The whole premise was that these characters would get into all sorts of misadventures at the amusement park they called home, all while singing songs and introducing cartoons. Talk about a unique concept!

The Hanna-Barbera Connection

Even with their success, Hanna-Barbera needed a little extra help to pull this show off. They turned to up-and-comers Sid and Marty Krofft, who would later become famous producers in their own right, creating shows like H.R. Pufnstuf, Land of the Lost, Donny & Marie, and even The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. "Joseph Barbera came to see me because he wasn't sure how to execute this idea yet," explains Marty Krofft. "This was live-action, and they'd only done animation up to that point. In a way, this was our dress rehearsal for Pufnstuf, which we'd introduced at the 1968 World's Fair. With The Banana Splits, it started with us creating and building the characters, refining them, and making sure they worked. Joe would come to our studio probably every week, and he'd run everything by me." That's a pretty incredible partnership, right?

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Influences and Legacy

One big influence on the show was The Monkees, which was wrapping up its network run around the same time. "Everything has some connection to something else," Marty agrees. "I think it's totally original now, but back then, I'm sure we said, 'Let's turn this into The Monkees.' It was a tough challenge to make these four quirky characters into a band, but they've really stood the test of time. I loved the name The Banana Splits, and I believed that if we built the characters right, they could be really interesting as a band. And they have! We probably have 40 million dedicated fans today who grew up loving this show, and they're going to be super interested in this new version. Honestly, I think it's fantastic what they're doing. It took real guts to reinvent it like this, and look at all the buzz it's generating!"

banan-splits-cast — Moviestore/Shutterstock

Actress Sara Canning, who plays Rebecca, the producer of the Banana Splits show within the movie, shares that she didn't catch the original series growing up because she lived in a small place "with only two channels." But once she got cast, she dove right in. "I watched the opening credits and was blown away. It's like an acid trip!" she says. "This new version is meant to be a straight horror film, but there are elements of camp that naturally pop up because, let's face it, it's a bunch of furry creatures running around—and, you know, causing chaos and mayhem." Sounds like a blast, doesn't it?