Movie Remakes Currently in the Works

Some of the movie successes of the past are going to be put to the test once more as there are works in progress for most of them to reprise their stories in the near future. Without delay, here are a few notables already in the helm...

P.S>: Stay tuned for more movie updates to come

Arthur
Russell Brand is reportedly in the early stages of developing a remake of Dudley Moore’s famous, and Oscar-winning, comedy. Thus far, he’s believed to be meeting with writers on the project, and Larry Brezner is attached to produce (he previously produced Good Morning Vietnam, and the US take on Little Britain). No release date clues yet.

They Live
Given that much of the John Carpenter back catalogue has already been remade, or is the process of being redone, the recent report that They Live was getting the treatment too was little surprise. The firm who remade Dawn Of The Dead, Strike Entertainment, are trying to get the rights, and it’s the same company that’s also working on the remake of The Thing. Very early stages for this one, though.

Romancing The Stone
Fox has raided its back catalogue and chosen the cracking Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner adventure for the remake treatment. Thus far, it’s found a writer for the project, with Eagle Eye scribe Daniel McDermott hauled in to pen a script. No news yet on casting, director (although it’s safe to say that original director Robert Zemeckis wouldn’t give it another go) or release date…

The Incredible Shrinking Man
The 1950s movie, with a title that leaves few clues as to what it’s about, is being redeveloped as an Eddie Murphy vehicle. Brett Ratner had been in talks to direct, but a helmer isn’t yet attached to the project, and Murphy has Beverly Hills Cop 4 coming up anyway. Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (who penned Night At The Museum) have written the script. It was originally down for 2010 release, but that may be a little optimistic now…

The Illustrated Man
Once he’s done and dusted with Watchmen, Zach Snyder has a plethora of projects he’s linked with, and the remake of The Illustrated Man has been on the table for a while. Originally made in 1969, and based on a collection of Ray Bradbury short stories, Alex Tse (who scribed the Watchmen movie) is on script duties. 2011 would be a good shout for this one, should Snyder get to it next.

When Worlds Collide
Originally brought to the screen in 1951, and picking up a special effects Oscar for its troubles, director Stephen Sommers is now linked to a remake of the film. The story of Alpha Centauri being on a collision course with the Earth currently has Sommers reportedly working on a script. He’s currently in post-production on G.I. Joe, but has also been linked with the new Tarzan movie. Still, this is a project believed to be live and kicking, and one heading for the screen in 2010/2011.

Fantastic Voyage
The 1966 classic about a submarine that’s shrunk and injected into a man’s bloodstream to try and stop a potentially fatal blood clot is on director Roland Emmerich’s slate. Cormac and Marianne Wibberley – who wrote the National Treasure movies, among others – are on script duties. Emmerich is still in the midst of making 2012, however, so don’t expect this one for a couple of years yet.

Back To School
The original was a hit for the late Rodney Dangerfield. But the 80s comedy is now in development again as a vehicle for Cedric The Entertainer. David Ronn and Jay Scherick are penning the new script, and the project is currently stuck in development pending a formal green light. That may be in time to get it to the screen in 2010, though.

Meatballs
The original: directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Bill Murray. The proposed remake: potentially to be directed by John Whitesell, he who gave us Big Momma’s House 2 and Deck The Halls. Hmmm... Expect it in 2010 at the very earliest.

The Dirty Dozen
Robert Aldrich’s late-60s classic is on producer Joel Silver’s slate for a remake. An assortment of writers are attached to the project, although there’s no director or casting news yet. The film is pencilled in for a 2012 release.

Conan
It looks like the third big screen Conan adventure will be heading back to the source material and doing a bit of a ‘reimagining’. And while we’re not averse to the idea of Conan coming back – with Arnie apparently having his arm twisted to try and get him to do a cameo – the likelihood is that Mr Brett Ratner will be directing, once he’s done with Beverly Hills Cop 4. A 2010/11 release window is likely.

Clash Of The Titans
A remake of the 1981 movie, this is set to start filming in the Spring, with The Incredible Hulk’s Louis Leterrier set to direct. Sam Worthington is the only known casting so far, and the film is set for release in 2010.

Akira
The film that kickstarted anime cinema’s assault on Western audiences, 1988’s Akira has been mooted for remake for some time. The current status is that a final draft of the script is still to be forthcoming (Gary Whitta is on scribing duties), with Ruairi Robinson – the 3D animator on Breakfast On Pluto – down to direct. Leonardo di Caprio is producing but not appearing in what will be a live action remake. 2011 is the earliest you’ll see it.

The Karate Kid
The 80s classic is heading back to cinemas, possibly as early as the end of next year, with Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith attached to the film in the title role. Stephen Chow, the original director linked with the project, is likely to find his Green Hornet commitments count him out, so expect news on a helmer shortly. In the meantime, the script is being polished off, and filming is set for next year.

Footloose
The latest news on the planned Footloose remake is that High School Musical’s Zac Efron is in line to star. HSM’s director Kenny Ortega is down to direct, for a 2010 release.

The Last House On The Left
The remake of Wes Craven’s 70s horror is in the can, set for release in 2009. Dennis Illiadis has directed, and the cast features Monica Potter and Sara Paxton. Craven is attached as producer.

Red Dawn
The 1984 hit is being remade, with Dan Bradley behind the camera, and Disturbia scriber Carl Ellsworth penning the screenplay. Bradley was the second unit director on Quantum Of Solace, incidentally. The film is due out in 2010, but a start date for filming hasn’t been confirmed.

Short Circuit
This one’s still on for 2010, although a director and cast are still to be announced. David Foster is producing though, and he was one of the string-pullers behind the 2005 remake of The Fog. He also produced the original Short Circuit. And he’s attached to…

The Thing
This one’s still in the script stages, where we hope it gets stuck. The original is a flat-out classic, but given how many John Carpenter movies are getting the remake treatment, we suspect it’ll get to the screen in the next three years.

The Birds
The Hitchcock classic is up to be remade, and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell is still believed to be involved. A 2011 release date is mooted, and both Naomi Watts and George Clooney have been linked to the project. No word on a filming start date, though.

Hellraiser
Clive Barker’s classic is coming back to the big screen, this time in the hands of writer/director Pascal Laugier. However, it’s still some way from getting to the screen, given Laugier’s commitment to another project first. 2011 would, therefore, be a good guess for a new Hellraiser project.

Poltergeist
No studio seems as committed to pillaging its back catalogue as MGM is, and Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist is currently on its slate as well. The 1982 original, produced by Spielberg, will be remade by Vadim Perelman. He previously directed House Of Sand And Fog, and the new Poltergeist may make it out for next year.

Oldboy
Steven Spielberg is bringing a new take to Oldboy than the 2003 Korean corker, with Will Smith attached to the project too. Smith has said that the film will be based on the original manga, rather than the film itself. Not strictly a remake, then, but you can bet that the overlap will be noticeable…

Westworld
It’s been an on-off project for so long, that we hope that the late Michael Crichton’s terrific original will be allowed to stand. However, a rampaging robot around a theme park is just the kind of thing Hollywood likes, and the project is still believed to be in the scripting process.

Logan’s Run
It’s been caught in development hell for a while, but the planned remake of Logan’s Run is believed to be back on the burner. Joseph Kosinski, who’s currently working on TR2N (or Tron 2, as we prefer to call it), currently has it lined up as his next project, for a 2010/11 release.

Child’s Play
Chucky is coming back to the big screen, potentially with Brad Dourif involved in the project. Seed Of Chucky director and original writer Don Mancini is down to write and direct this remake, which is set for release in 2010.

Rosemary’s Baby
The original: a 70s classic, that still pull its punches now. Directed by Roman Polanski, it’s regarded as one of the best movies of that decade. The remake? It’s being produced by Michael Bay. It’s due out in 2010.

The Jetsons
The animated movie is getting a live action remake, clearly inspired by the stunning pair of Flintstones movies. Ahem. Robert Rodriguez was in talks to be involved in the project, but no formal confirmation has since been forthcoming. Expect it in 2011 at the earliest…

Starfighter
The 1984 cult hit The Last Starfighter could be heading back, with original director Nick Castle at the helm, presumably with a more bountiful budget to play with. It’s still in development, though, with a 2010 release window the earliest we’d get to see it.

Forbidden Planet
The main reason to be interested here is the involvement of Babylon 5’s J Michael Stracyznski. He’s attached to the script for the remake of the 1956 classic, although it doesn’t appear yet that a screenplay has been finalised. Joel Silver is producing, with a 2010 release date planned, but looking unlikely.

Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
Charlize Theron is loosely attached to the planned remake here. Chan-woo Park, the writer/director of the Korean original, is not believed to be involved. Theron is currently linked as producer, but may star when the film gets to the screen, probably in 2010.

Near Dark
Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes company is behind the remake of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1987 vampire flick. Attached to direct is Samuel Bayer, whose CV is filled primarily with musical videos to date. The film seems a little lost in development hell right now, however, and the release date is at best a few years away.

Barbarella
Grindhouse’s Rose McGowan is attached to the lead role in this planned new take on the source material that inspired the Jane Fonda movie of the same name. Robert Rodriguez will be directing, although the film is reportedly having trouble getting its finances together. Don’t expect a release anytime soon…

Red Sonja
Rose McGowan again, although this one’s closer to getting to the screen, giving that the new take on Red Sonja is currently in pre-production. Directing is Douglas Aarniokosoki, who has previously done second unit directing work on Taken, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Resident Evil Extinction. Presented by Robert Rodriguez (in the words of the poster, anyway), the film will be out in 2010.

Last Tango In Paris
Believe the rumour mill, and Tom Cruise is potentially circling the Marlon Brando classic as fodder for himself and his wife, Katie Holmes. Nothing is in pencil, yet alone ink, but the mere suggestion of it brings us out in the shivers.

Angel Heart
The Robert De Niro/Mickey Rourke horror, originally directed by Alan Parker, has been picked up by the man who used to run New Line Cinema, Michael De Luca. Along with this co-producers, he’s now believed to be in the early stages of putting a new film together based around the book Fallen Angel, which provided the foundation for Parker’s film. It’s a good few years away, though.

My Fair Lady
A film that many of us have a soft spot for, but perhaps not if Keira Knightley, as planned, gets her paws on the role of Eliza Doolittle. Musicals are big business right now, though, and while Knightley isn’t believed as of yet to have committed to the role, the film is likely to go ahead.

10
The rights have been picked up to do a new take on the Blake Edwards/Dudley Moore/Bo Derek comedy 10. Edwards is apparently on board as an executive producer, although a new cast and director is yet to be announced. Expect a 2010 release, though, would be our guess. It’s too easy a poster to pass up.