‘Scarface’ Reboot Release Date Revealed, Coen Brothers Wrote The Script

The long-touted Scarface reboot has been given a new release date, with Universal announcing that it will hit theaters on August 10, 2018.

It has also been confirmed that Scarface has been re-written by the Oscar-winning screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen, who previously won Academy Awards for writing both Fargo and No Country For Old Men, while they were also nominated in writing categories for Bridge of Spies, True Grit, A Serious Man, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

At the moment, though, Universal hasn’t announced who is directing or starring in Scarface, which is being produced by Marc Shmuger, Scott Stuber, Dylan Clark, and Martin Bregman. Bregman also brought the 1983 version of Scarface to the big screen.

There have been plenty of rumors, though. Last week, Variety‘s sources reported that Diego Luna was attached to star in the Scarface reboot. The Mexican actor previously starred in Y Tu Mama Tambien, Milk, and Elysium, but most recently found fame with Rogue One.

The re-imagining of the 1932 and 1983 film will once again tell the immigrant story of the titular character, but it will instead be set in Los Angeles and revolve around a Mexican immigrant.

At the same time as Diego Luna being linked to the film, it was confirmed that director Antoine Fuqua has departed the project, having previously been in line to oversee the reboot for several months.

Antoine Fuqua left Scarface allegedly because of a scheduling conflict with The Equalizer. Sony Pictures want Antoine Fuqua to start preparing a sequel to The Equalizer “very quickly,” while Universal want Scarface to be in production by the spring. Following Antoine Fuqua’s departure, Universal has already been meeting with a number of potential new directors, as they look to make sure that production isn’t affected.

While Antoine Fuqua “very much wanted” to direct the Scarface film, and had looked to figure out if he could oversee both Scarface and The Equalizer, he ultimately decided to prioritize the latter because he had invested so much in it.

While the Coen Brothers have written the most recent draft of the Scarface reboot, the previous draft of the script was penned by Terence Winter, who created Boardwalk Empire and was also nominated for an Oscar for his work on Wolf Of Wall Street.

The original Scarface was released in 1932, and starred Paul Muni in the lead role of Antonio “Tony” Camonte, while it was directed by Howard Hawks. Based on Armitage Trail’s 1929 novel of the same name, which itself was very loosely based on the rise and subsequent fall of Al Capone, it revolves around an Italian immigrant arriving in 1920s Chicago and then rising through the ranks as he fights for control of the city.

The 1932 version of Scarface inspired a 1983 remake, which was written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian De Palma. This version tells the story of Tony Montana, played by Al Pacino, who arrives in 1980s Miami from Cuba. Montana grows to become a powerful drug kingpin across the city.

While Brian De Palma’s version of Scarface was a financial success upon its release, the film was attacked by critics because of its excessive violence, swearing, and its use of drugs. However, over the last 34 years it has been reappraised by critics, and is now generally considered to be one of the greatest gangster films ever released.

Obviously that means that the impending Scarface has some huge shoes to fill. But with the Coen Brothers having rewritten the script, and with Diego Luna reportedly in line to lead it, the announcement of a top-notch director would then give the Scarface remake a very good chance of doing just that.

[Featured Image by Universal Pictures]