Scarface is being remade and written by Coen Brothers

[Mister Pink 12,087]

Probably the most bizarre film news I've heard in a long time. I'm a fan of Coen Brothers films and one of my top 5 films ever is Fargo.  The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, True Grit, No Country For Old Men are just a handful of great films they made. 

 

Of course it wouldn't be the first time they remade a films, True Grit being one. I just can't fathom why they would remake Scarface. Why not just make a new film? It could be inspired by Scarface. And Scarface 1983 is a remake of the original from 1932. I don't know. 

 

They could easily make that immigrant turned criminal story and not have to use the Scarface name. Because it's doubt it's going to resemble anything of the two films before it. It's going to just share the Scarface name. It's supposed to be set in L.A. And I'm not sold on the L.A. setting. Getting tired of L.A. OK, so we have an immigrant that comes L.A. I think of L.A. as a place that other Americans move to to make it in the entertainment industry. I don't see it as an immigrant city. Not saying it can't be but Miami with Cubans entering illegally in to Miami during a cocaine epidemic just seemed perfect for the creation of the Scarface character. He's born out of exceptional circumstances. Not sure how they'll do this in L.A.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they want to make the film closer on the 1932 film. It's just seems closer to what the Coen's would do. 

 

Having said that, I'm excited for a Coen Brothers crime film. They excel in the crime genre. No Country For Old Men and Fargo are just phenomenal. I have faith that they'll write something interesting. 

 

It's going to be directed by Italian director Luca Guadagnino. He directed the Suspiria remake and the acclaimed Call Me By Your Name (which I wanted to see but haven't yet). 

 

Whatever they manage to produce will be divisive, no doubt. People expecting a DePalma-esque remake of Scarface 1983 are going to be sorely mistaken. Anyone unfamiliar with a Coen Brothers film, expecting some mindless action, thrills will be sorely mistaken. So, I won't be surprised if this get's hated by a certain type of Scarface 1983 fan.

 

Here's an interesting article that poses the question of it if might go back to it's Jewish roots. 

https://forward.com/culture/446617/will-scarface-return-to-its-jewish-roots-coen-brothers-paul-muni/

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Mister Pink

[Earthbound 258]

I'm with you, I couldn't imagine they'd be attempting to make a like-for-like of the 83 film. Apparently they'll be using material from both films, which makes sense. The premise obviously works, I'm really interested to see what they do with it.

 

I must say I'm apprehensive, but these guys know what they're doing and I'm sure it'll be something I'll make time to see.

Edited May 16, 2020 by Earthbound

[Mister Pink 12,087]

18 minutes ago, Earthbound said:

I'm with you, I couldn't imagine they'd be attempting to make a like-for-like of the 83 film. Apparently they'll be using material from both films, which makes sense. The premise obviously works, I'm really interested to see what they do with it.

 

I must say I'm apprehensive, but these guys know what they're doing and I'm sure it'll be something I'll make time to see.

This pretty much sums it up. I'm apprehensive too but you are right. These guys, while not infallible are the top of their game in the industry. I'm glad they'll take inspiration from both films. 

 

I love crime films that carry more dramatic weight, l wont say "arthouse" but more than just action and I hope we can get this from Scarface.

 

Wonder if they'll set during modern times. 

[The Wolf Man 1,364]

I don't think Scarface needs a remake. I watched the movie recently and it's not dated at all. Wonder if it's just some sort of money grab.

[Lonely-Martin 34,133]

Mixed feelings here, but intrigued to see what comes of it though.

 

It's gonna take a hell of a lot to top the 80's powerhouse I love probably too much. I've only seen the original 30's version once a while back so this reminds me to rewatch that classic, but the 80's version definitely doesn't need a remake. And I can't imagine the soundtrack will be as addictive as it in Pacino's tour de force.

 

That said, the Coen Brothers are really great at what they do and if they can bring something good to it, I'm sure I'll enjoy the movie even if it can't equal the legacy of one my all time favourites. Definitely on the watch list, but lowered expectations and open minded to see what they do. Hopefully another gem movie though.

[Zello 18,723]

They've been talking about doing this since around 2010 or 2011 and it has gone through multiple directors and scriptwriters. Personally I don’t want to see it I loved Al Pacino's Scarface. We've had too many remakes though Scarface itself actually was a remake of the 1930s Scarface unless it ends up being good I don't want it.

 

I do love the Coen Brothers. Fargo was a great film and so was No Country for Old Men. So it's in good hands for now.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Zello

[XxElBigMex913xX 84]

Luca Guadagnino knows how to direct pretty well especially after the stuff he has done with Call Me By Your Name and his remake of Suspiria. With The Coen Brothers as writers for the remake, we could expect more like a mafioso type story that's tonally different from the one that De Palma has done. I'm too damn excited to see his interpretation of Scarface come to life. 

[Halal Cyborg 8,861]

Always found scarface a bit overrated next to the Godfather series/Casino/Goodfellas etc

[darthYENIK 8,847]

Wait, are they remaking the original movie or the De Palma movie?

[Mister Pink 12,087]

12 hours ago, darthYENIK said:

Wait, are they remaking the original movie or the De Palma movie?

Apparently they are drawing inspiration from both films. 

 

My guess is that's going to be something new. Completely independent of the others, other than by name, and some of the plot points. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Mister Pink

[Awful Waffle 382]

On 5/16/2020 at 9:18 AM, The Wolf Man said:

money grab.

by the Coen brothers?

that's not exactly their modus operandi 

[Mister Pink 12,087]

On 5/28/2020 at 8:48 PM, Awful Waffle said:

by the Coen brothers?

that's not exactly their modus operandi 

And this is what has us all curious, I think.  

 

I'm really struggling to find out what makes a Coen brother, go hey man, we need to do a remake of Scarface. They could easily make what they are going to make and call it something else. Someone might accuse them of the similarities to plot points of Scarface. Or they could at most say they were inspired by the Scarface films. 

 

But to specifically call it a remake. What is the motivation there? Is it ego? Do you think the Coen Brothers watched them, love them but think they are both flawed and that they can do this film better. I'm really curious to know their thinking. 

 

Or perhaps a producer went to them with the idea, massaged their ego, offered a nice cheque and they genuinely think they're writing this new film that's going to improve upon the originals. In that case, it's still not motivated by money, exactly, if you throw in a little ego, and the challenge of re-writing a classic. 

 

Scarface (1983) became a sort of naff thing. Especially in 2000's when MTV Cribs had all those rappers with their Scarface shrines. It became a running meme on the show. I think at one stage (during those MTV Cribs times) ordinary people were a bit embarrassed to admit they like the film. There was a lot of cheap Scarface tat going around at the time that really cheapened the whole thing. It's a bit corny and a bit cliched. But that's all died down now and film still stands. 

 

So to have Coen Brothers, who would make more artistic and dare I say, more high-brow films to tackle this seems odd, but satisfyingly so. As I said, Fargo is one of favourite films as is the TV show and There Will Be Blood. We know the Coens can do crime exceptionally well. 

[Tyler 5,826]

Based on their recent work (a la Hail, Caesar!), I would not at all be surprised if this is another movie about the history of movies. Specifically, I wonder if they're interested in making something that discusses crime in film--both Scarfaces are seminal works of the subgenre, and the entire Coen brothers filmography is both a love letter and analysis of the combination of crime in film. That being said, I'd love to see what kind of things they want to say about it all. It seems like it'd either be the kind of thing that caps off your entire career, or something you do and immediately regret while critics and fans alike shred it.

[Mister Pink 12,087]

Interestingly enough, I found some info that's very intriguing. I was looking at Boardwalk Empire and checking out Terrence Winter's Wiki page. For those of you who don't know Terrence Winter, he's a writer and  producer for The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and he wrote the screenplay for The Wolf of Wall Street. He's HBO and crime-cinema royalty. 

 

On this Wiki it says "TBA: Son of Tony" EDIT: In fact this title goes back to 2010 and there's a topic on this very forum about it. 

 

I checked the source and it seems Terrence Winter was to write a screenplay for a new Scarface remake: 

"The pic is a reimagining of the core immigrant story told in both the 1932 and 1983 films. The new film will be set in Los Angeles and will focus on a Mexican immigrant."

 

The producer of the 1983 film is also supposed to be producing it, as was his name attached 10 years ago. So this could all be bullsh*t.  

 

This article was back in 2016 and it seems there was another director attached, Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Broklyn's Finest). 

 

Article

Edited June 3, 2020 by Mister Pink

[Voodoo 37,863]

On 3/14/2010 at 8:48 AM, AnthMUFC-Champs said:

I think if they hire the right actors and make a compelling story it will succeed although they need to reference back to the original and hire the old actors as well.

[DownInThePMs 2,301]

i hope theres a woodchipper scene in this

[KarimNTerr 2,745]

When I first heard about a Scarface remake I was like, "Ewww, really?", but then I saw the Cohen Brothers were working on it, so I am interested in it now