Universal has been developing a reboot of Scarface for several years now, with the Coen brothers set to write the screenplay. For a while, though, they’ve had trouble finding a director, with both David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) and Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day), among others, flirting with the project since it sprung to life.
But today, they’ve finally secured someone to get behind the camera, as Variety reports that Luca Guadagnino, who recently freaked us all out with the excellent Suspiria remake, will helm this new take on the classic crime thriller. And while no further details were revealed and casting still remains unknown, hopefully things will begin to fall into place now that they have a director.
Of course, we certainly don’t envy the person chosen to follow in the footsteps of Al Pacino, who delivered an iconic performance in Brian De Palma’s beloved movie way back in 1983, with Scarface‘s quotable, captivating melodramatic ’80s storytelling ensuring it’s remained a legendary fixture of cinema over the decades.
At one point, Rogue One star Diego Luna was attached to the lead role of Tony Montana, but he’s since departed the project and as of now, no names have been revealed in regards to who the studio may be eyeing. And ditto for the other roles.
Still, Guadagnino is certainly a step in the right direction. An accomplished and acclaimed filmmaker, he’ll surely bring something special to the reboot and though we have a hard time imagining it living up to the original, since it’s just such a classic, we’re certainly excited to see how Universal presents Scarface for a new generation. Watch this space for more.