Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek is joining Charlie Hunnam in the Papillon remake
Plans for a contemporary Papillon remake are moving forward today as Deadline reports that Rami Malek, star of USA Network‘s Mr. Robot, has entered talks to star opposite the previously-attached Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim). Hunnam is playing a variation of the role originated by Steve McQueen in the 1973 original, while Malek will play an updated version of the character played by Dustin Hoffman.
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Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, the original Papillon was released in 1973 and adapted Henri Charrière’s 1970 autobiography. Although a criminal safecracker, Charrière (played by McQueen in the original) was arrested in the early 1930s for a murder he claims to have had no involvement with. Sentenced to life at a French penal colony, Charrière, in the film, winds up befriending a fellow inmate (played by Hoffman) and the pair together plan their escape.
The title, the french word for butterfly, refers to Charrière’s own tattoo, which earned him the nickname.
Set up at Red Granite Pictures, the Papillon remake will offer a contemporary take on Charrière’s tale with an adapted screenplay by Prisoners‘ Aaron Guzikowski. Danish filmmaker Michael Noer (R, Northwest) is set to helm with Riz Aziz, Ram Bergman, Roger Corbi, David Koplan and Joey McFarland producing. Executive producers on the Papillon remake include Terrence Chang, Danny Dimbort, Martin Hellstern, Joshua D. Mauer, Christian Mercuri, Yan-Fischer-Romanovsky and Kevan Van Thompson.
The Papillon remake has plans to shoot in Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro and Thailand. Check back for updates on the project as they become available.
How do you feel about the pairing of Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek? Are you interested in this Papillon remake? Let us know in the comments below!
(Photo Credit: Brian To / WENN.com)
