You just can't keep a good vigilante down. And within the current Hollywood creative environment that motto is multiplied ten fold for popular vigilantes from the 1980s. HR's Risky Biz Blog is reporting that Columbia Pictures is developing a return of the action hero Remo Williams as The Destroyer.
Producers Charles Roven (The Dark Knight) and Steve Chasman (Transporter) are overseeing the production for the studio while Charley and Vlas Parlapanides are on board to write the screenplay. The trade blog reports the duo are currently penning the action epic War of Gods for Relativity Media.
Plot Concept: Based on Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir's original "Destroyer" adventure tomes, the story centered on Williams, a New Jersey cop convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Williams is sentenced to the electric chair, but his death is faked so he can be reborn as the vigilante character the Destroyer, joining a top-secret assassin squad set up by the government to operate outside the bounds of the law. With the help of an Asian assassin named Chiun, Williams also then wreaks havoc on the criminal underworld as well as on those who framed him.
Murphy and Sapir wrote scores of “Destroyer” paperbacks in the 1970s and ’80s, with other writers eventually taking over scribe duties. New installments of the series — more than 100 have been written all told — continue through this decade. This pic, however, is an origin story that will center on the first book.
Will the Remo Williams character work in the modern era of cinema? Sound off below.
Actually, I was a big fan of the books as a kid, and the movie didn't live up to it at all except for about the last 15 minutes. A funny story, but Chuck Norris actually tried getting this movie done in the late 70's, but Murphy turned him down. So instead, Norris made a version of it with Mako...An Eye For An Eye in the early 80's.
If done well, the movie could make some bucks. Especially if they keep the dark humor and the mysticism of the book intact.
I've never read the books, honestly didn't know they existed, the movie though sits on my shelf to this day. Best scene is the diamond tooth glass cutting. Atleast, it's up there.
Anyway I think it could work, right actors is all that would be needed. The original film was semi gritty in it's own right for its era. Detachable arm to let the dogs muddle about with for a while, perfect! I think it can be done.
Remo Williams: You know, Chiun, you're a real pain in the ass.
Chiun: That is because it is the fastest way to your brain.
Beautiful.
I loved the movie in that nothing better to do sort of way and truly loved the book series..but its gonna be a hard sell to get goin nowadays. movies like tbe Bourne series and Wanted took these kinda srories to the next level...
Remo:..."you make it sound like a public service..."
Chiun: "Assasination is the highest form of public service."
Awesome! Loved the movie as a kid! Hopefully it will be the beginning of a franchise! I'm praying they don't put SHia Lebuff in this! How much you wanna bet they cast Jackie Chan as Chiun! He is Hollywood's go to Asain!
I guess I dont understand, as the article, and the posts seem to sort of go against eachother.
Is this in the remo williams universe/storyline? Or are we just talking about the actors.
Forgive my stupidity, but I dont remember remo being a cop, being sentenced to death, or any o fthat, so I must have missed something.
Can anyone fill me in?
I loved Remo Williams, but I've seen it more recently and it wasn't as good as I remembered. Still it's fun. Wonder if they'll make this one more gritty.
Stormrider, Remo was a cop in the films, the Agency set him up with a couple of thugs he was trying to arrest who tried to kill him. The "arrest" ended with him being pushed into the ocean trapped in his squad car. He woke up in the hospital with a new face and his old identity declared dead. The Enforcer gave him the name Remo from on the bottom of a bed pan if I remember. Sorry, I have the movie memorized still from a child.
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I saw the original movie as a kid. I thought it was awesome but I haven't seen it as an adult or read the books so I don't really know how well the character would hold up in our cynical, post Dark Knight world. So maybe...