Kevin Bacon's Next Project Isn't What Anyone Expected

With more than four decades of work in show business under his belt, Kevin Bacon remains arguably one of the most recognizable and best-respected actors in the game. And yes, that has been true since the early days when he was stealing scenes in groundbreaking films like "Animal House" and "Friday the 13th," as well as the soap opera "Guiding Light."

In the years since establishing himself as a major talent, Bacon's career track has been the very definition of adventurous. Seemingly not content to play it safe, Bacon has delivered some of his best on-screen performances in everything from era-defining classics ("Footloose"), B-movie marvels ("Tremors"), buzzy prestige flicks ("Apollo 13," "Mystic River"), and blockbuster tentpole fare ("X-Men: First Class"). Realistically, there's almost nothing Bacon hasn't done as an actor on the big screen or the small. Heck, he's even carved out a successful side-gig as a rock star with The Bacon Brothers (per American Songwriter). 

But now, it looks like one of Kevin Bacon's upcoming projects will actually take his career somewhere it has never been before. 

That might be hard to believe given all that Kevin Bacon has already done in his career. But "Lucky 13" will indeed provide an unexpected new challenge for the screen icon. That's because "Lucky 13" is a TV game show and Bacon will be playing the role of host. Per Variety, the new show is backed by small screen veterans Claudia Rosencrantz and Adrian Woolfe ("Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"), and is likely being eyed for a primetime network slot. 

According to the same report, Kevin Bacon is also lining up as a producer on "Lucky 13," which is described by Variety as an hour-long quiz show testing the general knowledge of contestants. Commenting on his new gig via a press release, Bacon said, "I played the game and I was hooked. It's not only about how much you know, but it's also about how much you think you know. It's addictive fun!" Woolfe spoke with equal enthusiasm for both the show and its host, stating, "We're delighted to partner with Kevin on the creation of 'Lucky 13,' a quiz show full of suspense and drama."

The show has yet to begin filming and is still negotiating with various networks across the globe over broadcast rights. But given the high-profile team behind "Lucky 13," and Kevin Bacon's obvious star power, we'd expect this gameshow to be on the air sooner rather than later. Keep your eyes peeled.