‘Scarface’ reboot is in the works with new director

LOS ANGELES: A reboot of classic gangster movie ‘Scarface’ set in Los Angeles is moving forward with a new director at Universal Pictures.

The film will be directed by Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino and will be the third big-screen take on the blood-soaked immigrant underworld story. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen wrote the latest version of the script with earlier drafts by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, Jonathan Herman and Paul Attanasio.

The original 1932 movie directed by Howard Hawks based on a novel partly inspired by Al Capone’s life depicted Italian mafia in Chicago. The story has been adapted a number of times, most recently in the 1983 classic starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer directed by Brian DePalma. 

The action was transplanted to Miami in the 1983 hit movie, starring Al Pacino as ruthless Cuban refugee Tony Montana, who builds a criminal empire based on cocaine. The new film is a reimagining of the core immigrant story told in both the 1932 and 1983 films, and will be set in Los Angeles.

In adapting the story once again, the Coen brothers will follow in the footsteps of Oliver Stone, who won plaudits for his flashy and ultra-violent screenplay for the second version — which included Pacino’s immortal line “Say hello to my little friend.”

Italian filmmaker Guadagnino is also reportedly working on a ‘Call Me By Your Name’ sequel, and a ‘Lord of the Flies’ adaptation. No release date or cast has yet been announced and production in Hollywood is currently shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Guadagnino recently helmed a remake of ‘Suspiria’ for Amazon Studios, which starred Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton and Chloe Moretz. He earlier directed the Academy Award-winning drama ‘Call Me by Your Name,’ which earned him an Oscar nomination.