Along with Michael Corleone from the Godfather movies and Frank Serpico from Serpico, Tony Montana is easily one of Al Pacino's most iconic roles - but apparently he really doesn't care if any actor goes out to try and one-up him in the upcoming Scarface remake.
Following up on the news from earlier this week that screenwriter Jonathan Herman is working on the latest version of Scarface, The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Al Pacino at the New York Premiere of his new film Danny Collins and asked him what he thought of the upcoming project. Pacino reportedly responded quickly, saying that he's fine with the developing re-do, and that he actually finds the studio's plans to be "interesting." He added,
It's part of what we do. We remake things. I may remake a movie I saw recently. I can't say what it is. It's about 50 years old.
Of course, the great irony that comes with anyone complaining about a remake of Scarface is the fact that Brian DePalma's film from 1983 was a remake itself. The original Scarface, directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, came out all the way back in 1932. One could make the argument that the gangster tale is one that can legitimately keep going from generation to generation, and Al Pacino clearly understands this fact. At it's core, the project is simply the story of an immigrant making his way to America, working to achieve the American dream, succeeding through illegal means, and then paying the ultimate price for pride and greed. As long as the new movie isn't a carbon copy of the 1983 version, there's not necessarily reason to immediately dismiss this idea.
Word of the new version of Scarface first sprung up back in 2011, when Universal Pictures announced that they were developing the project. Suicide Squad director David Ayer was the first person to take a crack at writing the screenplay, but he was replaced in 2012 by The Good German screenwriter Paul Attanasio. The most recent writer to take the pen - the aforementioned Jonathan Herman - has been working with Universal Pictures for a while now due to the development of the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, which Herman also wrote.
Do you agree with Al Pacino that a Scarface remake is totally fair game, or do you think that the 1983 version is material that should never be adapted ever again? Answer the poll and hit the comments with your thoughts!
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