‘Scarface’ Is Getting Remade Whether You Want It Or Not

It's hard to get upset about a remake of Brian De Palma's 1983 film 'Scarface,' if only because it was a remake of Howard Hawks's 1932 film of the same name. But a second remake is moving forward, and Universal proved it by hiring a new writer.

That writer is Paul Attanasio, who is best known for writing the scripts for 'Quiz Show' and 'The Sum of All Fears,' but likely got the job because of his work on 'Donnie Brasco.' Attanasio is definitely literate and qualified, so that's good news. We haven't heard about any directors or cast (though Rihanna has been rumored), but if they've hired an a-list writer, they're definitely going to put more attention behind this than their reboot/remake of 'The Thing.'

Still, if we're wary it's because the cultural iconography of the 1983 is one of the cornerstones of hip hop and urban culture. The amount of posters, toys, and  paraphernalia related to the movie could fill a skyscraper of bodegas a hundred times over. The question is if the audience that turned that film into a phenomenon will turn out for another version of the film, or if they just want to hear Al Pacino yell "Say hello to my little friend!" and could care less about a new version.