Scarface" Reboot

Tindie

Brian De Palma's 1983 movie Scarface isn't the type of film you want to follow up with a reboot, but according to The Dissolve, that is exactly what Harry Potter director David Yates is considering. Yes, technically De Palma's film was a remake itself of Howard Hawks' 1932 film of the same name, but it's still a strange thought—why a reboot when you can just watch the older version that has been so iconic and influtential?

Anyway, apparently this project has been in the works at Universial for a while now, and the current draft of the script is said to be "very high" on their development list. Should talks with Yates go well, it's possible this film could be in the works relatively soon.

Deadline also added this important note about the project:

This is not a remake or sequel but a reboot of a crime kingpin who through a ruthless campaign of ambition goes in hot pursuit of his American Dream – whatever that is in this decade. Ethnicity and geography were important in the first two versions so expect the same here.
The way this is worded is interesting—specifying that it's not a remake, and that the location/ethnicity of the characters is important seems to suggest that Yates' version could change the setting and a lot of the plot/backstory, which would, in a way, make it its own film. After all, the 1932 version of the film was set in Chicago, whereas De Palma's 1983 version was in Miami.

Since there are no story details it's hard to tell what they actually have planned, but even if Yates' version ends up being different than the previous two, the thought is still an uncomfortable one. Casting someone who can give a perfomance that matches up to Al Pacino's is going to be nearly impossible, and that's just the start.

Anyway, Deadline is reporting that Yates is in "final talks," which means that it's highly possible this will happen. Don't screw this up, guys.

I though this movie would one would never be rebooted but dose make we wonder is any movie SAFE from being remade or rebooted

Nervous Wreck

I thought Scarface was crap tbh. Still shouldn't be rebooted though, as there is zero point in doing so.

MJ23

They could get Elijah Wood to play Tony Montana.

Outkast_IRE

MJ23 wrote: »

They could get Elijah Wood to play Tony Montana.

Say Hello to my little Friend

blatantrereg

Scarface itself is a reboot. The original 1932 film was about Al Capone - whose nickname was Scarface.

The Narrator

At one point I quite enjoyed Scarface (think I was 14 at the time).

Couldn't care less if they reboot it, it's certainly not untouchable.

Just wish they would get out of this whole reboot phase and fund original films, it's not as if there aren't any new ideas out there.

WatchWolf

Is the term "reboot" not used in regard to franchises? Batman was "rebooted" (same characters, different story).


Has it become the case that "remake" carries such negative connotations, that studios have loosened "reboot" because it sounds sexier?

Knob Longman

Brilliant film, Its possible the re-boot could contain a Mexican drug dealer as its star character because the other two films followed what was happening at the time and look at Mexico and the trafficking nowadays.

Jason Todd

If they use a character called Tony Montana, and just use some themes from the De Palma film they might pull in some punters, but if they are going to directly reference it and use it in the marketing then they are on a hiding to nothing imo. The whole reboot/remake for Scarface is pointless anyway, Pacino made it impossible to follow.

longshanks

Just think how bad the soundtrack will be if it is remade.

Potential-Monke

Just make Grand Theft Auto: Vice City into a movie, keeping the same actors, and most definitely the soundtrack, and call it Scarface.

Outkast_IRE

longshanks wrote: »

Just think how bad the soundtrack will be if it is remade.

Get Giorgio Moroder back and it would be grand, the man did great work on that soundtrack as well as countless other movies like Midnight Express which he won an academy award for.

And his visibility is very high at the moment due to his collaboration on the new daft punk album.

squonk

So somebody in the studio noticed that Breaking Bad is doing very well for itself and thought "Hmm... how can we latch onto that... Oh yeah, we'll remake Scarface!". As far as I'm concerned, Breaking Bad is the modern Scarface reboot. I'm not that interested in another film to be honest!

FloatingVoter

squonk wrote: »

So somebody in the studio noticed that Breaking Bad is doing very well for itself and thought "Hmm... how can we latch onto that... Oh yeah, we'll remake Scarface!". As far as I'm concerned, Breaking Bad is the modern Scarface reboot. I'm not that interested in another film to be honest!

Even Vince Gilligan admitted Breaking Bad was "from Mr Chips to Scarface" as the shows overall arc. Any "reboot" will wind up being compared unfavourably to the Pacino barnstormer or the subtle plotting of Breaking Bad.
Reboots are for sci-fi / superhero flicks and they work amazingly well when done properly.

Sad Professor

WatchWolf wrote: »

Is the term "reboot" not used in regard to franchises? Batman was "rebooted" (same characters, different story).


Has it become the case that "remake" carries such negative connotations, that studios have loosened "reboot" because it sounds sexier?

Perhaps. It may also mean that they seen this a potential franchise rather than a standalone film.

Technocentral

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

I thought Scarface was crap tbh. Still shouldn't be rebooted though, as there is zero point in doing so.

Completely agree, its really popular with mafia types, serial killers and other scumbags, reprehensible thrash.

Potential-Monke

So Leonardo DiCaprio is going to take up the iconic role, and it's due for release next year.

Very big shoes to fill, even if you didn't like the 80's film, you know that role was perfectly cast. I think with Leo, they might do it. They're using the same story, but it's being set in 2016, so a modern Scarface. Should be interesting, especially seeing as Leo is in it. He's acting gold at the moment!

NachoBusiness

Technocentral wrote: »

Completely agree, its really popular with mafia types, serial killers and other scumbags, reprehensible thrash.

lol.

Scarface is easily one of the greatest films of all time, if not the greatest.

Each and every scene is a classic, which is why they have all, without exception, produced many memorable quotes, such were their, and it's, genius. It captured a certain time in America beautifully. Which is why we often hear people whinge and say it has aged. What they fail to understand is a film ageing is not always a bad thing, as sometimes, that is just indicative of how well it portrayed a very specific time and a very specific mood, and without question, DePalma and Stone did just that.

From the opening Interrogation scene, almost every scene of Scarface is memorable: Freedom town scene, Dishwasher scene, Chainsaw scene, I could eat a horse scene, Don't get high on your own supply scene, I am political refuge scene, Manny gets slapped by a "lesbian" scene, Helicopter hanging scene, First you get the power scene, Porche buying scene, Babylon attempted assassination scene, Every dog has it's day scene, Caught counting cash scene, You think I'd kill two kids and a woman? scene, Bathtub / Pelican scene, Restaurant scene etc etc etc etc.

See, the problem is that Scarface has become of victim of it's own success. The sheer amount of quotes from the film which have entered into pop culture is staggering. Few films compete in that regard but the negative side of that is that is it then becomes something else and people start hating the fact that it is everywhere and constantly referenced, oftentimes by sections of society which are disliked and even despised but that should not be a reflection of the film itself. That's like detracting from Bob Marley's music because junkies are in adoration of him or judging Che Guevara because hipsters wear t-shirts with his face on it.

In any case, like most of these 'reboots' these days, I doubt it will be worth watching. I'm not against remarks/reboots per se. If they are done well, sure why not. Cape Fear, The Bird Cage two I liked but I seen a trailer for the new Point Break last night in the flicks and all I could think is why bother. It looks dreadful.

dark crystal

Potential-Monke wrote: »

So Leonardo DiCaprio is going to take up the iconic role, and it's due for release next year.

Very big shoes to fill, even if you didn't like the 80's film, you know that role was perfectly cast. I think with Leo, they might do it. They're using the same story, but it's being set in 2016, so a modern Scarface. Should be interesting, especially seeing as Leo is in it. He's acting gold at the moment!

That's a fake story as far as I know. The Stately Harold is a satirical website known for making up fake stories (That's where this story was lifted from) - there's been no such announcement from Universal.

Ralf and Florian

Can they cut all this "rebooting" baloney and have some original ideas for a change?Yes,I know Scarface was itself inspired by a movie from the 30s but every second Hollywood movie coming out in recent years seems to be a lazy ripjigging of something from 20/30 or even 10 years ago.

Ralf and Florian

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

Can they cut all this "rebooting" baloney and have some original ideas for a change?Yes,I know Scarface was itself inspired by a movie from the 30s but every second Hollywood movie coming out in recent years seems to be a lazy ripjigging of something from 20/30 or even 10 years ago.

No they can't. The term 'franchise' is cool now. As long as China likes it, its good enough for everyone else!

Sugarlumps

The original was okay, couldn't stand Pfeiffer's character.

thevinylword

Gah. Are they not taking chances on original scripts as much any more or something?

angryIreGamer

Sugarlumps wrote: »

The original was okay, couldn't stand Pfeiffer's character.

you are thinking of the 1983 Scarface, a remake of the original 1930s film.

MrStuffins

Scarface is alright. It's terribly over rated!

Marty McFly

MrStuffins wrote: »

Scarface is alright. It's terribly over rated!

I think it's more a victim of its own success.

I know when I watched it through fresh eyes I loved it, now I watch it I do at times find it hard to separate from all the popular culture crap that has fawned over it to much thus taking the gloss off it.

JP Liz V1

http://www.thewrap.com/coen-brothers-bring-back-scarface/

Aug. 10, 2018 release date

Diego Luna rumoured for lead

Lorelli!

I wish they wouldnt

TerrorFirmer

Not particularly fussed if they do or don't, but Diego Luna I thought was terrible in Rogue One, no presence or charisma at all.

Fysh

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Not particularly fussed if they do or don't, but Diego Luna I thought was terrible in Rogue One, no presence or charisma at all.

To be fair to him, I'd put that down to script limitations than Luna being bad - he was very good in leading roles in both Y Tu Mamá Tambien and Rudo Y Cursi. He was also good in a smaller role in Milk, amongst others.

Effects

angryIreGamer wrote: »

you are thinking of the 1983 Scarface, a remake of the original 1930s film.

You got that wrong mate. 1983 scarface is a reboot of the 1932 scarface, not a remake.

storker

thevinylword wrote: »

Gah. Are they not taking chances on original scripts as much any more or something?

Those focking guys mang...

storker

NachoBusiness wrote: »

lol.
Scarface is easily one of the greatest films of all time, if not the greatest.

I'm not sure I'd call it one of the greatest, but nevertheless it's still a very good movie, for a number of reasons...

Al Pacino. His performance is superb. Tony Montana is the polar opposite of Michael Corleone. Where Corleone is cool and strategic, Montana is impulsive and more tactical. Corleone is classy, Montana is tacky. Corleone ultimately is doing it for his family (or so he thinks, anyway), Montana is doing it...just because. In short, it's possible to sit through the whole of Scarface without thinking of The Godfather.

It's a moral tale. This is not a story of how it's cool to be a drugs dealer. It's a story of how it sucks to be a drugs dealer, and never mind all the outrageous trappings of wealth. The more Montana gets of what he wants, the unhappier he becomes. I think it was Stephen King who said that mediocre fiction shows people just wielding their power, but great fiction shows people who either lose their power, or find great power at great cost to themselves. With Tony Montana, it's the latter.

The morality is reflected visually and audibly in the 80s electro-disco music and the flashy architecture and decor. The houses are impressive, but don't look like homes. Everything is OTT. Montana's life is a class-free zone. When he reaches for the sleeping Elvira anfter the head-to-head with Frank Lopez, Montana's hand looks more like a claw. When he looks out the big window and the "World is Yours" blimp, he doesn't look like the master of his surroundings at all; he looks dwarfed by them and insignificant.

Montana is almost a tragic hero. He kills, but he isn't actually cruel (OK, apart from the last-second crumb of false hope he throws to Frank). He claims "I never fcuked anyone over that didn't have it coming to them", and the film bears this out. In fact, if anything his downfall comes not because he is evil, but because he isn't evil enough. His refusal to kill the anti-drug crusader, because proceeding with the hit would kill innocent family members, plunges him into a fatal and brief gang war that ends with his death. Even Manny's death isn't premeditated, and is more of a (twisted) crime passionel.

The only bum note I think is Elvira. I don't know if de Palma intended her to be some kind of moral grounding, but if so it fails because she comes across as a snobby hypocrite. She snipes at and criticises the men whose crimes pay for her high life. Even Tony suggests that she should get a job. It's hard not to agree with him.

I suppose it could be argued that this is how she deals with what her life is and eventually even that defense breaks down. Thinking about it, may be that is the case, because instead of running from one glitzty provider to another (and there would hardly be a shortage of thoise in 80's Miami), she simply goes home.

In short, Scarface may be a tacky-looking, violent and foul-mouthed story, but there's a lot more going on in it than just that.

Burgo

Peter Berg rumoured to be directing.

FortuneChip

Burgo wrote: »

Peter Berg rumoured to be directing.

Mark Wahlberg for the main role so...

Lorelli!

storker wrote: »

The only bum note I think is Elvira. I don't know if de Palma intended her to be some kind of moral grounding, but if so it fails because she comes across as a snobby hypocrite. She snipes at and criticises the men whose crimes pay for her high life. Even Tony suggests that she should get a job. It's hard not to agree with him.

I suppose it could be argued that this is how she deals with what her life is and eventually even that defense breaks down. Thinking about it, may be that is the case, because instead of running from one glitzty provider to another (and there would hardly be a shortage of thoise in 80's Miami), she simply goes home.

I'd give Elvira more credit than that. She is an angry person for whatever reason and seems quite broken but i think her character is stronger than it appears. She does seem to feel stuck and bored with her life. She has no problem putting people in their place though and a good few times makes snide remarks towards Frank. When Tony first comes onto her in the club, she's very cutting and he almost looks like he is reduced to a boy dancing with her.

Frank didn't really care about her. Tony sees her as part of some American success story that he has planned but all the characters are not fitting nicely in the roles he's given them. He, unlike Frank, did marry her though and he wants children with her. He thinks he owns Elvira, like his sister who he wants to remain young and pure.

Elviras relationship with Tony does not seem romantic but we do see softer sides to her. She reluctantly but genuinely laughs after Tony awkwardly tried to kiss her in the car and then when he makes a joke of his own failed attempt by trying on her hat. When he proposes at the pool, it is very transactional but he is looking to Elvira for marriage and children, maybe that's what she really wanted. It was something I don't think she would have had with Frank.

We see that children hit a nerve with Elvira and she loses it at the restaurant when Tony brings up the topic of their lack of children and Tony describes her as "polluted". She questions what type of father he would be. She leaves Tony at this point and it's unknown where she ends up but out of all the main characters, it seems, she is the only one that survives.

storker

Lorelli! wrote: »

I'd give Elvira more credit than that. ...(etc) [/YOUTUBE]

Some good points there, and I wouldn't disagree with any of them.

Agent Coulson

It looks like David Ayer is now being linked as the director today.

Agent Coulson

David Ayer is now out as Universal felt his script was too dark for the studio's liking is being reported.

angryIreGamer

Agent Coulson wrote: »

too dark

for scarface?

a feelgood story now

Penn

angryIreGamer wrote: »

for scarface?

a feelgood story now

Scarface: Say hello to my little friend!
Comedy Sidekick: Hey guys!

patrickSTARR

Agent Coulson wrote: »

David Ayer is now out as Universal felt his script was too dark for the studio's liking is being reported.

Too dark? God I hate Hollywood.

This is a movie they don't need to remake. What ever they do with a new movie it wont hold up to the original. Scarface still holds up today and everything about it just works. Yet we will get some new Scarface with no soul and will satisfy no one. I hope it bombs

angryIreGamer

patrickSTARR wrote: »

This is a movie they don't need to remake.

its a long time since the 30s, let it go.

Agent Coulson

Antoine Fuqua is now back in talks to direct after pulling out previously to direct The Equalizer 2.

Ash.J.Williams

blatantrereg wrote: »

Scarface itself is a reboot. The original 1932 film was about Al Capone - whose nickname was Scarface.

He said that

Tony EH

I always thought the 1983 film was an odd "scarface", TBH. It had nothing to do with Al Capone, or the 1932 film either. But, it stands on its own merits and still has a dubious charm. In fact, I'd say I enjoy it more today than I did when I was younger and thought its 80's vibe was just too much.

The 30's film has its own charms too, but it's terribly creaky now.

I actually wouldn't mind another "remake", even though the '83 film is a remake in name only. It could have been called 'The World is Yours' and still have been the same film. But, this time around, maybe they could make an actual film about Al Capone, whose real life was interesting enough to warrant a film about it.

But no, I reckon the suits will just try an copy De Palma's film, "...cos hey people like that one don't they? Let's rape that..."

JP Liz V1

Luca Guadagnino is set to direct

1800_Ladladlad

blatantrereg wrote: »

Scarface itself is a reboot. The original 1932 film was about Al Capone - whose nickname was Scarface.

This "point" leads me to believe that people who share this same attitude haven't seen 1932 movie? This is a straight-up money grab that's unoriginal, simply cashing in on the success that is known to many as a cult classic. The two movies are incomparable. They share more differences than similarities. The Al Pacino Scarface was a complete retelling of the story. Without it, no one would have known about the 1932 film.

Remakes were far better in the 80s. The 1980s created alot of great franchises alone so the odd remake was forgivable and accepted. They weren't as prevalent as they are now. Especially if the original was 5 decades old! But now Hollywood, they just recycle everything. Straight rehashes. There are too many examples to list. It's way too soon to "reboot", an iconic cult classic that's highly appreciated by many as many still watch it as if it was just released. It should be left alone. Just like other iconic classics like The God Father, Apocalypse now etc etc

The current generation of Hollywood "talent" we have can’t remake for sh*t. This announcement further concretes the fact that originality has truly gone out of the window. I was never a big fan of both Scarfaces, even with the Coen brothers on the script and Luca Guadagnino directing this should bee left alone.