Brett Ratner is no longer content with ruining franchises, he must now ruin the 1980s. Deadline is reporting that Ratner will produce a remake of THE FLAMINGO KID for Disney.
If you don’t remember THE FLAMINGO KID, it starred Matt Dillon as a high school grad who gets a job at the Flamingo Club and finds himself mentored by the club’s owner. He soon disdains his own blue collar origins for the beach club where the rich and privileged come to play, but it all comes at a high price and the kid smartens up.
The original was directed by Garry Marshall and was a nice if not great movie. It also starred Hector Elizondo, Richard Crenna, Jessica Walter, Fisher Stevens, Bronson Pinchot, Marisa Tomei, and Steven Weber. The remake, which Ratner will produce with Michael Phillips, who produced the original film. Music video director and playwright Nzingha Stewart will write the screenplay. No word on a director.
Stewart is known for her feminist writing that generally focuses on minorities. I am not sure how much they will change the story or characters, but the tale of different classes butting heads is an eternal one. Who knows, the main character may be changed to a female lead.
Any fans of the original out there? What do you think of Disney remaking THE FLAMINGO KID?