For a TV show that originally ended in 1967, the core concept behind The Fugitive has enjoyed impressive longevity, with the premise being refitted and updated on several occasions throughout the subsequent half a century.
The most famous is the 1993 blockbuster that saw Harrison Ford give one of his finest performances opposite Tommy Lee Jones, with the latter scooping an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Andrew Davis’ thriller drew widespread acclaim, earning $368 million at the box office and scoring a further six Oscar nods including Best Picture.
Jones ended up getting his own spinoff five years later with U.S. Marshals, while The Fugitive was also revived on the small screen at the turn of the millennium, but the series was canceled after a single season. Most recently, Boyd Holbrook and Kiefer Sutherland starred in a fresh spin for the short-lived and ultimately doomed streaming service Quibi last year.
In November 2019, it was announced that Albert Hughes, one half of the sibling directorial team behind Menace II Society and The Book of Eli alongside brother Allen, would helm another remake of The Fugitive. The trail went cold soon afterwards, though, but a new rumor claims that not only is project back in development, but two big names are being eyed for the lead roles.
As per the report, Mahershala Ali is wanted for innocent man on the run Richard Kimble, with Cate Blanchett sought as his gender-swapped pursuer Sam Gerard. That’s about as far as the information goes, meaning it’s a long way from becoming a reality when there’s been no official word on The Fugitive from Warner Bros. in over eighteen months, but they’re two of the best actors in the business with a pair of Academy Awards each, so it would be a huge get were the remake to land them.