Eli Roth Is The Latest Director To Grant Bruce Willis' ‘Death Wish’
It’s been a rough road for Paramount’s upcoming remake ofDeath Wish, which been the subject of a few behind-the-scenes creative clashes. The project was first announced in 2012with director Joe Carnahan at the helm, but Carnahandeparted a year laterover those dreaded “creative differences,” which may or may have involved the director wanting Frank Grillo in the lead role and the studio insisting onBruce Willis.Miss Baladirector Gerardo Naranjowas the next to take the job, but he quietly stepped away. Things finally seemed to be on track just a few months ago whenBig Bad Wolvesdirectors Navot Papushado and Aharon Keshalessigned on, but they departed not longer after, citing creative differences over the Bruce Willis-approved screenplay.
But maybe fourth time is the charm, becauseEli Rothis the next one up to bat.
Deadlinereports this news and they add that this is part of an active attempt by Roth to break into more traditional Hollywood work after building his career with nasty horror films likeCabin FeverandHostel. It’s easy to imagine him looking at the trail blazed by James Wan, who cut his teeth withSawandInsidiousbefore nabbingFurious 7andAquaman, and wanting that kind of trajectory. This news arrives after Roth’s thrillerKnock Knockcame and went without making much of a peep beyond his already initiated fans. An action movie starring a legit movie star may the thing to shake him up.
Knowing his affinity for trash film and filmmakers, it’s easy to imagine Roth going all-out and making something gloriously offensive and deranged and socially irresponsible. In other words, it’s easy to imagine him remakingDeath Wish 3. Roth has had his hits and misses, but he can generally be trusted to create something interesting and memorable, even if the whole package doesn’t come together. However, the biggest roadblock here may be Willis, whose filmography has grown increasingly dire with each passing year. With the occasional exception (Looper, anyone?), Willis hasn’t been taking too many chances recently. It would be a shame to waste Roth in just another standard Bruce Willis movie.
The surprising silver lining here is that the latest draft of theDeath Wishscreenplay was written byScott AlexanderandLarry Karaszewski, the more-than-capable scribes behind movies likeEd Woodand television shows likeAmerican Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson.
There are no official dates set forDeath Wishyet, so let’s wait a few weeks and see if those creative differences strike again.
