DAREDEVIL Reboot Has a Writer, Producer
While the idea of a Daredevil reboot film isn’t new, there hasn’t been any signs of the studio (the dreaded Fox) moving forward on the property. Back in 2008 there were rumors of Frank Miller showing interest in a do-over film, and Jason Statham (yeah, the actor) had apparently sounded off on wanting to play the titular hero. While those two figures are as involved as Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, at this point in time, it seems as though the studio is starting to get their ducks in a row for a new horn-head.
Mike Flemming over at Deadline Holloywood is reporting that Fox has hired screenwriter David Scarpa to pen the screenplay for this new incarnation of Daredevil. Scarpa’s writings credits include The Last Castle and one of the worst remakes ever, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Tapped to produce the reboot, is former News Corp. CEO Peter Chernin.
It’s no mystery as to why Fox is rebooting the Daredevil property. Simply put, if Fox does not have any activity on a licensed character or characters after x amount of time, the rights would revert back to Marvel-Disney. Fox is also deploying this tactic with another Marvel property, the Fantastic Four, as announced back in August last year.
As a huge Daredevil fan (evidenced by my sleeve tattoo of the blind hero and his villains) this news is bittersweet. On one hand it’s an opportunity to make up for the utter shite Ben Affleck film we were subjected to in 2003 (Matt Murdoch and Elektra fight on a playground in broad daylight?!), but on the other hand it is Fox, and other than X2 they’ve managed to fuck up every single Marvel property they’ve touched.
Regardless, with Daredevil being my favorite Marvel character, and seeing that there is plenty of rich backstory for film fodder, a tiny part of me will hold out hope for a respectful adaptation. With a character like this, tone is key, and the 2003 film completely missed the mark. The creators of this reboot need to look strongly at Frank Miller’s defining work on The Man Without Fear and his later work with Klaus Janson and even Ed Brubaker’s stories as of late.
More news on this reboot, and the likely many others we’ll be seeing, as it is revealed.
What do you think of a Daredevil reboot? What would you like to see?
2 Comments
Frank Miller gets my vote. He will fight for Jason Statham in the role. Frank will work Jason’s ass off and this movie will be able to go toe-to-toe with Iron Man if they let Frank do what Frank does best. Jason is primed for a role to take him into the Clive Owens, Daniel Craig sphere.