Columbia Dreams Of "Jeannie"

According to reports, Columbia Pictures has hired writer Sheila Callaghan ("United States of Tara") to write a new screenplay for the upcoming fantasy feature "I Dream of Jeannie", based on the 1960's sitcom. Created by Sidney Sheldon in 1965 to compete against ABC's "Bewitched", "I Dream Of Jeannie" starred actress Barbara Eden, as a 2000-year-old female 'genie' and actor Larry Hagman ("Dallas") as an astronaut who becomes her master and eventual lover.

In the pilot episode, "The Lady in the Bottle", astronaut 'Captain Tony Nelson, US Air Force', is on a space flight when his one-man capsule 'Stardust One' comes down far from the planned recovery area, near a deserted island in the South Pacific.

On the beach, Tony notices a strange bottle that rolls by itself. When he rubs it after removing the stopper, smoke starts shooting out and a Persian-speaking female genie (wearing an enticing harem costume) materializes, kissing Tony on the lips with passion.

Tony expresses his wish that 'Jeannie' could speak English, which she then does. Then, per his instructions, she "blinks" and causes a recovery helicopter to show up. A grateful Tony tells Jeannie she is free, but Jeannie falls in love with Tony, re-enters her bottle and places it in Tony's duffel bag so she can accompany him back home.

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