The original Total Recall is a ton of fun, but hardly a great film. In fact it’s only really fun because of Paul Verhoeven’s directing style and nutty ideas. Arnold is Arnold, but it’s Verhoeven’s sensibilities that help make Recall the film that it is.
A remake with new blood would lose a lot of the “weight” that made the original so special, but who cares anymore in this day and age of constant remakes?
Certainly not Neal Moritz and his appropriately-named Original Film production company, who are behind this. With Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard) set to direct – based on a script from Kurt Wimmer – the shortlist of actors the studio wants for the role of Quaid/Hauser appears to include roughly three names, with Colin Farrell currently sitting at the top. Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender are also favorites, but it looks as though Farrell is the one being most sought after.
I have new found respect for Colin after the excellent In Bruges, but I’m having a hard time picturing him in a Total Recall remake – I just keep thinking he’s wrong for this, but I’m not sure why. Nevermind the fact that this is a pointless remake to start with.
The Hollywood Reporter has the exclusive, and their article goes on to document the hurdles that are in the way of the movie, in terms of the actors’ schedules.
Thanks to Brian Henne for the tip.