David Yates received critical acclaim for his direction of the final four films in the box-office dominating Harry Potter series, and really should have won a few Oscars for his trouble. There’s currently a lot of chatter about what he’s going to do next, and Deadline reports that the British director is in final talks with Universal to direct their reboot of Scarface.
Nobody knows how many drafts, or even writers, the script for the new version of the film has had – both the 1932 and 1983 versions were so iconic that Universal, keen on protecting the reputation and high-status nature of its property, are not giving anything away. That it’s only just come out that they’re in high-level negotiations with a director of David Yates’ stature is telling of the secrecy that surrounds the project.
But why David Yates? Well, aside from the darker territory he successfully took the final four Harry Potter films into, he directed British TV series State of Play, a gripping look at how power corrupts (sound familiar?) in the realm of UK politics. He’s also been attached to a few other projects including the potential Tarzan reboot – a gripping look at how power corrupts at the top of the jungle food chain (sound familiar?), and upcoming TV pilot Tyrant, from the makers of Homeland, a gripping look at how power corrupts an unassuming American family “drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation” (sound famil… oh). He’d be a great fit for Scarface because he’s a director who can turn his hand to any style, be it elaborate fantasy or realistic political drama.
No release date on Scarface, as it doesn’t even officially have a director yet. Have some patience. In the meantime, you could tell us how you feel about this, preferably in the comments below.