Simon West To Direct ‘Heat’ Remake

Simon West has signed on to direct the remake of the 1986 film Heat.

Brian De Palma was originally supposed to direct the film but has left the project for unknown reasons. The remake will star Jason Statham, who previously worked with West on 2011’s The Mechanic and 2012’s The Expendables 2.

Statham will also be reunited with Cory Yuen, who directed 2002’s The Transporter. Yuen will act as the film’s action director/fight coordinator. Statham is also producing the film alongside SJ Pictures’ Steven Chasman.

Statham will next be seen in the action thriller Parker, which also stars Jennifer Lopez. Parker is based on the Donald E. Westlake/Richard Stark novel Flashfire.

The original Heat starred Burt Reynolds as an ex-mercenary working as a bodyguard in Las Vegas. The film was based on a novel by William Goldman by the same name (also called Edged Weapons in the UK). Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the original script.

Heat received mixed-to-poor reviews from critics and grossed less than $3 million at the box office.

Shooting for the remake will begin in February 2013. The script will be modernized for the present-day but will still center on Escalante (Statham) as a compulsive gambler who becomes a bodyguard in order to support his addiction. When his friend is brutally beaten, Escalante’s personal and professional lives collide.

Simon West’s previous directing credits include Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and the pilot episode of the TV series Human Target and The Cape. He executive produced those pilot episodes as well.

Are you excited for a Heat remake?