Antoine Fuqua and Universal Pictures are back in conversations about Scarface,
a new version of the classic outlaw tale. They are in early talks for
Fuqua to direct the film, and things are looking good as the
negotiations get underway. Originally dated August 10, 2018, Scarface is now undated as the pieces fall back into place.
Diego Luna was circling the lead role, he's now uncertain due to the changing
production timeline, which has resulted in potential scheduling
conflicts.
The new film borrows the immigrant rags-to-riches story but presents
it in contemporary Los Angeles. The most recent script is by David Ayer,
Jonathan Herman and Joel and Ethan Coen. The film will be produced by Dylan Clark through his Dylan Clark Productions. Scott Stuber will be exec producer, and Marty Bregman — producer of the 1983 Scarface film — also will produce.
Fuqua had been the director when this third iteration of the picture
first got off the ground, but exited when his schedule got crowded. Ayer
stepped in, but his schedule got too tight and he dropped out. Things
rekindled and look strong after Fuqua and studio brass met late last
week. Looking at his films from Training Day to Equalizer and The Magnificent Seven,
Fuqua seems a strong match for the visceral immigrant gangster
storyline that was central to both the 1932 and 1983 film versions. The
latter was directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone and
starred Al Pacino. Paul Muni starred in the earlier version.
Fuqua will be ready after completing post on the Equalizer
sequel with Denzel Washington. He has remained intrigued with reviving
the original. In an interview with Deadline when he helmed The Magnificent Seven, Fuqua explained the appeal of the violence and excess of the criminal underworld that has informed both previous films.
“There are stories about that world that you couldn’t make up,” he
said. “Pablo Escobar had animals from Africa and they still don’t know
how he got them. Right now they’ve been trying to figure out how to deal
with the growing population of what they call cocaine hippos. It’s
crazy. Their lives are so over the top, El Chapo and the rest of those
guys.
“But how do you make him the icon of icons? Because we have a high bar
for movie icons with Al Pacino’s Tony Montana and Michael Corleone. I
took Denzel into that world as a cop in Training Day, and that
was a world that I know probably way too much about. I know where to go
with this. I have met a lot of these cartel dudes and understand their
mentality, and this f*cked up version of Robin Hood. I saw it with guys I
grew up with. It starts with, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to
feed my family. Then it turned into, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do
to survive. Then it turned into, I want it all. Your moral compass gets
lost in the darkness and excess.”