These days it seems as if just about every major blockbuster stems from a previous iteration, leaving audiences perpetually making comparisons to the originals they know and love, or hoping the newer versions will do previously wronged characters justice. For Elizabeth Banks’ upcoming Charlie’s Angels retelling, it looks like the action flick won’t be ignoring the roots of the ‘70s television series or flashy McG films from the early ‘00s.
Elizabeth Banks, who is director, co-writer of Charlie’s Angels script (and one of three Bosleys) recently said the upcoming movie is more of a “continuation” of the franchise than a reboot, and will implement elements from the television show and movies. Since it’s now been over forty years since the agency of Angels started, the organization has only expanded and the titular Charlie is now a “gazillionaire.” Banks explained further with these words:
If you were rich in 1976, you only got richer. Charles Townsend is richer than ever, so he’s grown the business into a global spy agency.
Unlike the original series, the new Charlie’s Angels will show off an operation that is much larger than a trio of badass crime-fighters, with a network of Angels around the world. The film will still primarily focus on three leading angels played by Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska and Aladdin’s Naomi Scott. Stewart’s character Sabina Wilson is described as a adept partier and group leader, Balinska’s Jane Kano as a skilled ex-MI6 agent and Scott’s Elena Houghlin as a scientist who is the “heart of the movie”.
Elizabeth Banks told Entertainment Weekly she is going for a more grounded approach to the action sequences in Charlie’s Angels, with the dynamics between the team inspired by the team in the new Mission: Impossible films. The movie will take place in locations around the world including Istanbul, Berlin and Hamburg and be centralized on the theme of women working together over romantic entanglements and such.
Elizabeth Banks has decided to make the name of Bosley be a rank within the Charlie’s Angels organization this time around. The role previously played by David Doyle, Bill Murray and Bernie Mac will be played by Elizabeth Banks, Patrick Stewart and Djimon Hounsou this time around.
Per this new information, we can potentially expect some nods and winks to the classic television show and movie franchise starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu and will have the new Angels continuing what they started with their own flair on the franchise. It will be interesting to see how this new version implements the franchise’s past and sets itself apart from them as well.
Charlie’s Angels will come to theaters on November 15, 2019 alongside James Mangold’s action flick starring Christian Bale, Matt Damon and Jon Bernthal, Ford v. Ferrari and Paul Feig’s holiday rom-com Last Christmas starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson and Michelle Yeoh. Check out more exciting releases hitting theaters this year with our 2019 movie release schedule.
