Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano’s crowd-pleasing friendship dramedy The Intouchables is packing arthouse theaters thanks to powerful word-of-mouth and a strong marketing push by awards-savvy executives at The Weinstein Company. But if subtitles aren’t your thing, patiently wait for the American remake, which will be directed by Bridesmaids helmer Paul Feig.
Now that Feig is set he's starting to line up cast members, and the roster is pretty impressive. The French film documents the relationship between a Caucasian quadriplegic and the African-American man from the projects hired to be his caretaker. The role of the male nurse won actor Omar Sy the French equivalent of the Oscar, and is considered a choice role for an American actor. Now the New York Post says that Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx and Idris Elba are in consideration for the part. We reported a while back that Colin Firth could play the paralyzed man, while Jessica Chastain and Michelle Williams are vying for the film’s female lead.
American remakes of foreign films are, of course, hit and miss. Rock, himself, put his weight behind a U.S. version of Death at a Funeral, which landed with a thud. But Feig is a talented director with great comedic credits on his resume, and it sounds like he’s fishing for an awards-worthy cast.
What do you think? Are remakes of foreign hits an easy way to make a buck? Should audiences just seek out the original films? We have a ton of U.S. remakes on the way for films like Sleepless Night and The Raid. Add this one to the list. Are you excited?
