Straight off the bat, before you all snap your jaws off with stunned gasps, the Michael Mann Heat starring Al Pacino and Rober De Niro doesn’t figure in this story at all. Instead, this is about the 1986 Heat starring Burt Reynolds.
Heat is being remade by Brian De Palma, and Jason Statham has been chosen for the lead role. William Goldman, who wrote the original, is back to pen the remake. Which should mean we get a tight script which doesn’t deviate from the original too much.
The new Heat is set up at Sierra / Affinity’s. The company’s Nick Meyer stated:
“We are pleased to once again be working with Jason and Steve on another project which in this case is based on great source material from a rare combination of an acclaimed novelist who is also at the top of his game as a screenwriter.”
“We look forward to bringing this elevated action-thriller from Brian De Palma to distributors around the world. We feel this project has it all – a first rate piece of material, a legendary director and a global action star.”
Heat tells the story of a recovering gambling addict who now offers protection to those still involved in the game. He sets off on a revenge mission after discovering a close friend has been badly beaten by a mob boss.
This is one remake that could actually work. And Statham (for all his faults) is a good choice for the lead.
