Hero director Zhang Yimou in talks to direct Quasimodo with Josh Brolin

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Josh Brolin has been attached to an adaptation of the Victor Hugo book The Hunchback of Notre Dame called QUASIMODO for a while without any movement, but now Variety is reporting that Warner Bros. is eyeing Zhang Yimou to direct the film. Yimou is best known for his wuxia films like HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and his last film was THE FLOWERS OF WAR with Christian Bale.

Victor Hugo's novel has been made adapted for the big screen before, but there hasn't been one (that I can think of anyway) since the Disney film back in 1996. I won't get into how Disney butchered the book (although they kind of had to in order to make it kid friendly), but I could definitely get behind a new film version of the classic story. There's no other details on QUASIMODO, so hopefully this is a straight-up adaptation and not a "re-imagining" or something similar like I, FRANKENSTEIN.

Josh Brolin would make a great Quasimodo (they could probably use some of that left over make-up from JONAH HEX) and Zhang Yimou is a very talented director who could bring a lot visually to the film. If they keep the film as dark and depressing as the book then QUASIMODO might be worth checking out.