Universal Pictures got the ball rolling on a new version of SCARFACE close to eight years ago, and like many long-in-development projects, the film has seen several directors come and go, but now it appears that one of them is back in the mix. Antoine Fuqua (THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN) was slated to helm the SCARFACE remake two years ago, but he later dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with the upcoming sequel to THE EQUALIZER, but now, Deadline reports that Fuqua is talking with the studio once again.
The talks are still in the early stages, but Deadline seems to believe that things are looking good as negotiations between Antoine Fuqua and Universal Pictures get underway. Diego Luna (ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY) was slated to star in the film, but his involvement is now uncertain due to the frequently changing production schedule. After Fuqua dropped out of SCARFACE the first time, David Ayer (BRIGHT) stepped in to replace him before he too departed, but Ayer's voice may still be heard as the most recent script is credited to Ayer as well as Jonathan Herman and Joel & Ethan Coen. The SCARFACE reimagining will once again tell the story of an immigrant fighting for his version of the American Dream, and Antoine Fuqua has previously said this story is more relevant than ever.
I read the script they have and it's actually really interesting and very timely. We're dealing with a lot of stuff now coming out of Mexico. And again, we still have those issues dealing with the "American Dream", and the fact that the game is rigged, right? It's not really an even playing field, but the promise is that it is. The promise is that everyone gets a fair shot, but that's not always the case. So that's always relevant, and right now with what's happening in Mexico, which is where [the main character] comes from — he comes out of Mexico — that's relevant, especially when you've got people talking about putting up walls and other kinds of stuff. We're still dealing with immigration, we're still dealing with what would turn someone into Scarface.
Once Antoine Fuqua completes post-production on THE EQUALIZER sequel, he should be ready to move on SCARFACE, provided that he lands the gig…again. The director previously explained the appeal of the extravagant excess of the criminal underworld to Deadline, saying, "There are stories about that world that you couldn’t make up. Pablo Escobar had animals from Africa and they still don’t know how he got them… 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 know where to go with this. I have met a lot of these cartel dudes and understand their mentality, and this f**ked 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.”
Are you pleased that Antoine Fuqua is back in the mix for SCARFACE?