By ,
Published January 13, 2015
Another beloved TV show hits the big screen this weekend, hoping for some box-office magic.
This "Bewitched" (search) casts a slightly different spell, though, as Will Ferrell (search) plays an actor playing Darrin Stephens in a remake of the classic series. He then unknowingly chooses an actual witch (Nicole Kidman (search)) to play Samantha.
"Of course there's trepidation, because I think everyone's seen the series and you want to make it good, it's that simple," Kidman told FOX News.
"We're kind of outside the box, right? And that's what I think the audience is gonna like about it," Ferrell said.
For Ferrell, the transition from "Saturday Night Live" to films has been more or less easy, although his last film, "Kicking and Screaming," was not a huge hit.
Why remake "Bewitched," we asked?
"Why do this? Why 'Bewitched,' 'Betwixed,' 'Bedrazzled, Bedazzled?' There was a movie called 'Bedazzled' right? I like movies that start with 'B' in the title and that was the only reason ... that's why I chose it," Ferrell joked.
And his next movie?
"Uh ... 'Barnaby Jones.' It's the old remake of the 'Barnaby Jones' series."
And after that?
"'The Buddy Ebsen Story,' [about the actor] who was in 'Barnaby Jones.'"
When asked about the nose-twitching, made famous by television's Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery (search), that Kidman had to learn, Ferrell revealed that he was the teacher and Kidman the student.
"We workshopped it, yeah. It was baby steps, we had to build it up. But she got there," he said.
Critics, however, have been mixed to negative about the Nora Ephron (search)-directed movie.
FOX News' own Bill McCuddy said he went in expecting the worst, but liked it a lot.
"Kidman has a few new twists — I won't say twitches — and for most of the broom ride 'Bewitched' pulls the rabbit out of the hat," he said.
But the Associated Press thinks the movie "reeks of desperation," and ReelViews critic James Berardinelli wrote: "I want revenge on those who stole 100 minutes of my life."
FOX News' Mike Waco and William La Jeunesse contributed to this report.
Links: Associated Press review
https://www.foxnews.com/story/bewitched-hopes-to-cast-spell-on-box-office