MGM was determined to find someone to direct their new version of DEATH WISH, and, after several directors departed the project over creative differences in what the studio wants, it appears Eli Roth is the filmmaker to finally settle into the spot.
Roth has signed a deal to helm the remake that has been in development for a few years now, ever since Joe Carnahan had a take on the material that skewed closer to Brian Garfield's novel of the same name rather than the Charles Bronson movies. However, Carnahan walked away after the studio pushed to make something more action-oriented with Bruce Willis in the starring role. Willis remains attached to the film Roth takes over after BIG BAD WOLVES directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado departed for similar reasons that sent Carnahan packing.
Roth has been making strides to leave his horror roots behind and shift into a wider range of films, and that sounds fine… but is this really the film that's going to help elevate him? After all, the horror stories that directors have relayed in recent history about working with Bruce Willis are hardly a ringing endorsement for his involvement with a movie of this nature, especially if he just views it as a paycheck… And with so many storytellers opting out due to the script and the direction the studio wants to take it, that's hardly an encouraging sign either.
Hmmm… perhaps Eli Roth does have a death wish after all…