It comes as no surprise that Hollywood is digging into the beloved cinema classics catalog to give the remake treatment. Brian De Palma's seminal 1983 classic Scarface is set to be the next big 80s re-imagining, but the real head turner is the team working on it.
Variety reports that Luca Guadagnino, the director of Call Me By Your Name, will be taking the helm as director in the upcoming Scarface remake. Announced alongside his role was that the latest version of the script was written by Joel and Ethan Coen, the famous directorial and writing duo.
Guadagnino is no stranger to the remake formula and especially of cult hits that still get spoken of in reverence. His most recent project as director was on the 2018 remake of Suspiria, a psychological horror originally directed by Dario Argento in 1977. The remake was met with positive reception and considered a fitting effort in capturing the magic that was found in a film seeped in Italian horror sensibilities. Considering how Scarface met comedy and drama, the Coen brothers can definitely capture the vibe of the original while still bringing a new spin.
The new interpretation of Scarface is looking to shake up the formula in a big way, just as the 1983 version did to the original Scarface from 1932 directed by Howard Hawks. Reports indicate that the new version is moving away from the iconic Miami setting and will instead be based on the opposite coast in Los Angeles. Outside of that crucial detail, not much else is known but the film is described as a "reimagining of the core immigrant story." No casting decisions have been announced.
So while many may be wary of a remake of one of the most influential films to come out of the 1980s, Guadagnino and the Coens already remove some of the doubts. Scarface lives as on a a defining piece of media that continues to influence films and games in equal measure. Despite getting its own video game, Scarface in the video game world is best known as being a massive source of inspiration for the Grand Theft Auto franchise. With recent rumors circulating about Grand Theft Auto 6 taking place in Vice City (Rockstar's interpretation of Miami), its likely the original Scarface will be referenced heavily again, even after a near 40 year gap.
Source: Variety