Of all the Hollywood films that people would hope would never get the reboot treatment, the 1983 smash hit Scarface would surely rank highly on that list. That has not stopped Universal remaking the thriller that propelled the name Tony Montana into stardom. With Al Pacino producing one of his greatest performances as the Miami gangster sniffing and shooting his way to power.
If that prospect wasn't daunting enough to follow, the studio has given the task of the lead role to Diego Luna. The 37-year old Mexican scored his big hit last year to play Cassian Andor in the 2016 blockbuster Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but this challenge should be his toughest yet to attempt a modern adaptation of the original 1932 film that Pacino would make iconic 51 years later.
Project Already Stalling In One Key Department
A project of this size and scale requires every detail to be 100% on the mark, with execution pivotal from the casting to the behind-the-scenes crew and budget to bring Scarface to life. All without destroying it's legacy. If only to exacerbate this tension further, first choice director Antonine Fuqua pulled out over a scheduling conflict, with the Training Day and Southpaw filmmaker leaving Universal with an ongoing search for the right person.
It is a gamble for Luna to agree terms with the director's role still left vacant. Including a script that is still in the works to leave more questions than answers at this exact stanza. The Montana role is one of the greatest produced for an R rated production and Universal would surely never consider creating anything outside of that category.
Surely not.
Fuqua Focusing On Small Screen Project
That scheduling conflict on Fuqua's desk was not another major Hollywood film or reboot of a classic franchise. But rather a small screen production for Fox. 51-year old Fuqua is set to be an executive producer for The Resident, a series that looks at the highs and lows of an idealistic young doctor who works under the supervision of a resident. All while learning what is truly involved in the world of modern day medicine.
The pilot was penned by the trio Roshan Sethi, Hayley Schore and Amy Holden Jones, as Fox look to branch out their television schedule for 2017 and beyond. Fuqua Films will also play a role alongside Fox as the studio's other pilot for Controversy comes close to an air date.
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