Vision Quest needs a TV Series Sequel
/I haven't watched yet, but I have heard great things about Cobra Kai. If you haven't heard of it yet, it's basically the dude from Karate Kid, Johnny Lawrence, the bully, but years later and he's a loser. I'm going to try to watch as soon as I can. Probably this next week, but the success of this YouTube Red Original series, and several Netflix Binge-able series, makes me really think about several options for Vision Quest, the cult classic and gold standard for wrestling movies. Here are a couple of proposed TV Series Sequel plots I have had in mind.
Here's my proposal: It's 30 years after the match. The story follows the true hero from the story, Brian Schute. I've always maintained that he was the better wrestler of the two, and didn't deserve to lose that match. Schute's side of the story is the side I want to know. He didn't become that jacked, that good, and that complete a wrestler by accident. Think about it, how are we introduced to Schute? He's climbing stairs with half a tree resting across his back. He's putting in the extra hours workouts, without anyone watching him or helping him, that will (and most likely has) lead to his success in the first place. We find out that the Swain loss was the best possible thing for him. He destroys Louden in the state tournament rematch that year, and ends up having an outstanding college career at The University of Michigan where he's a 3x All American and 1 time NCAA Champ.
Unlike Johnny Lawrence (I guess he's portrayed as a total loser in the show, and it's kind of a redemption story), Brian isn't struggling in life at this point. His work ethic and drive have helped him become a very successful, yet very unhappy, business man. He has a marriage that fell apart a long time ago, and is completely consumed with his work. Though he's still in excellent shape, he learns from his doctor that his stress levels are through the roof, and he needs to take some time away from work. He does some soul searching of his own, and decides that the best thing for him is to begin helping out with a local wrestling team. It's one of the things he did, and was good at, that he truly enjoyed.
He gets back into coaching, and helps develop this middling program into one of the state's perennial forces. Throughout the seasons, we get to see entire graduating classes come and go, return to the room over holiday breaks, and grow into confident, successful, and happy men and women. Is Karate cool? No. Karate sucks. But that movie with the crane kick somehow made generations of people think that it was a martial art that people should invest their time and money in. If you're reading this, then chances are you know that the world of High School wrestling has enough humor, drama, and intrigue to bring anyone into it, and create compelling content for all to enjoy.
Where is Louden Swain? He's not a successful car salesman like Daniel LaRusso. He's in prison. Louden was a creep, and he most certainly has been arrested for some sort of medical malpractice or assault. The line where he says he wants to become a gynocologist because he wants to look inside women and see the power they have over him, is low key the creepiest line in a movie that isn't Silence of the Lambs. I see Louden a Larry Owings (no offense Larry, you're probably way less creepy), and Brian as Dan Gable. This loss was the best thing that could have happened to him, other than the sport itself giving him back the joy in his life.
I don't know what steps need to be taken for this to get off the ground and into production, but I'll reach out to Frank Jasper, and clearly we need Linda Fiorentino to be involved in this. It's not a Vision Quest spin off without Carla. Perhaps the team is coached by Forrest Whitaker or Michael Schoellfling (Kuch)? All I know is that this is an idea that needs to be run through the finish line! Let's get this thing in production! Who's with me?!?!?!?
