Director Nick Castle’s 1984 sci-fi film The Last Starfighter is one of the most revered cult classics of the 1980s, so it has been no surprise to hear that the film’s screenwriter Jonathan R. Betuel is eager to revive the property is some way. Eight years ago, it was announced that Betuel was working on a spin-off TV series called The Starfighter Chronicles, which would focus on alien law enforcement. That project has never made it into production. Five years ago, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story writer Gary Whitta revealed that he was working with Betuel on a reboot called The Last Starfighters. That one even got a sizzle reel, but still didn’t make it into production. Now, during an interview with Gizmodo, actor Wyatt Russell revealed that he’d love to see a remake of The Last Starfighter.
While doing the press rounds with his father Kurt Russell for their Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Wyatt was asked if there are any sci-fi projects he’d like to see updated. He answered that The Last Starfighter deserves a remake because, “There’s a lot more there than you can do now. … Now you could make that movie and build out the space world. The whole movie they’re in this weird space thing. They’ve tried to remake that movie, but I think the person who’s in charge of the IP will not let it go.” He also suggested that the lead character should be younger than the lead was in the original film.
Throughout Wyatt’s answer, Kurt is also interjecting comments, which is fun to see. Especially when Kurt objects to Wyatt calling The Last Starfighter “flawed”. Click over to Gizmodo to see the video of their interview.
The Last Starfighter has the following synopsis: After finally achieving the high score on Starfighter, his favorite arcade game, everyday teenager Alex Rogan meets the game’s designer, Centauri — who reveals that he created Starfighter as a training ground for developing and recruiting actual pilots to help fight a war in space. Whisked away from the banality of his trailer park life to a distant alien planet, Alex struggles to use his video game-playing skills to pilot a real ship, with real lives at stake.
Lance Guest, who was in his twenties at the time, plays teenager Alex Rogan. He’s joined in the cast by Robert Preston, Dan O’Herlihy, and Catherine Mary Stewart.
Do you agree with Wyatt Russell, is it time for a remake of The Last Starfighter? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.