Variety reports that Steven Spielberg has chosen his next project … and it’s a remake of “Harvey”. The one with Jimmy Stewart and the invisible rabbit. Shooting is set for the new year.
Spielberg being Spielberg, he’ll probably go with the safe choices and keep the story in its mid-century setting. And he’ll almost certainly cast this generation’s Mr. Everyman, Tom Hanks, as Elwood P. Dowd, the lovable drunk who doesn’t go anywhere without his hallucinatory sidekick.
I mean, you can imagine the pressure a less powerful filmmaker would get from the studio to update the material for the present day and bring down the character’s age so he’s more relatable to younger moviegoers. Maybe edge the story up a little by letting the audience wonder whether Elwood’s pervasive alcoholism and questionable mental state really are the best things for him.
Of course, then you’d have a totally different movie. But think of the cult possibilities …
Awesome. Exactly what I was thinking before I hit the link.
Bad idea on Spielberg’s part. Consider ‘Always’ from 20 years back. Not without its merits, but c’mon…was it _necessary_?
I just threw up a bit when I read this.
Harvey is one of my favourite movies and it stands on its own merit. Why does Spielberg want to do remake something that doesn’t need remaking?
Oooph, why couldn’t they just leave this movie alone?
All things considered I suppose it’s better that Spielberg take a shot at it rather than someone like Judd Apatow. I can well imagine the quease-inducing content if Seth Rogen played Elwood. Although if that version could end with Harvey throwing Seth under a bus I might be persuaded to at least watch the final few minutes when the movie plays on TMN.
Has nobody considered who might play Harvey? Roger Rabbit hasn’t made a film in decades and might be up for an extended cameo such as this.
In all seriousness, how about Will Smith in the title role? He can pull it off.