Benji, the popular cinematic dog, is aiming to return to the big screen courtesy of Walden Media, reports Variety.
With a first film released in 1974, Benji spawned several sequels over the next few decades in both theaters and as television specials. The character of Benji, originally played by a mixed-breed pound rescue named Higgins, has no specific mythology, and sometimes appeared as more or less an animal actor under his stage name, such as was the case in 1980’s Oh! Heavenly Dog where Benji (played by Higgins’ daughter, Benjean) was billed opposite Chevy Chase.
A 13-episode television series, “Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince,” aired in 1983, featuring a science fiction take on the character. Most recently, a Benji reboot was attempted in 2004’s Benji: Off the Leash!, offering a somewhat post-modern take on the canine hero, featuring, in part, the fictionalized story of filmmakers trying to reboot the franchise.
Brandon Camp, the son of the original Benji creator Joe Camp, is set to produce to the new Walden film and will soon begin a search across America’s animal shelters for a four-legged star.
