Friday
05Dec2008
Russell Brand Caught Between the Moon and New York City
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 5:14AM
I guess I'm not so sure we need a remake of
Arthur. It was one of those moment-in-time
movies, the sort that wouldn't have worked two years earlier or two years later.
But something about 1981, with
Dudley Moore right off of the success of 10,
and that smooth Christopher Cross single, pushed this thing to becoming, at that
time, the highest-grossing romantic comedy ever, and by a wide, wide margin.
However, the central storyline and some of the shenanigans carried out by a blithely ignorant drunk could have some potential with Russell Brand in the starring role. He has apparently been putting together a remake for Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Brand will have a big 12 months, following his breakout success earlier this year in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He'll appear in Bedtime Stories later this month, will reunite with the Sarah Marshall clan for Get Him to the Greek, and he's even in Julie Taymor's new Shakespeare adaptation, The Tempest. So by the time an Arthur remake comes out, he could be the next...uh, Mark Addy? I dunno.
Still, the projects he already has lined up should make this remake an easier sell, and despite an aversion to remaking movies just for the hell of it, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head I'd rather see give it a shot. I only have one request: He absolutely has to fall in love with Liza Minnelli, just like in the original. That would be classic.
Reader Comments (4)
I luv Russell Brand and am certain he could do an über raunchy 'Arthur' exceedingly well.
Zooey Deschanel would crush the Liza Minnelli role. Then they could turn the Christopher Cross song into a duet between Zooey and Russell : )
Only critical problem left is the role of Hobson.......Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Bill Nighy is the obvious choice for Hobson. He or Alan Rickman. As for the Liza role, I don't want to live in a world where Zooey Deschanel falls for Russell Brand.
What about Ian McKellen? He's older and just as talented as Bill Nighy or Alan RIckman.......although Alan Rickman is my god.
NO! Dont even think about it. Why would ... Never mind.