Remake News: The Thing, The A-Team, East of Eden and More

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Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Science Fiction, Thrillers, Casting, Upcoming Releases

The Thing: Universal - apparently feeling the winter blast - has decided to redo the classic John Carpenter film. In the 1982 version, research teams in Antarctica are killed off by a shape-shifting alien. The reimaging, which will be directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen, will be based off the same source material as the Kurt Russell vehicle. Ron Moore, Battlestar Galactica‘s executive producer, is in charge of the script.

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

The A-Team: The previously-announced project has had some coming and goings. Director John Singleton may be out, but Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces) is now in. Meanwhile, FOX has tapped Ridley Scott to produce. Although no actors have yet been cast, the hope is to start filming by June for a 2010 release.

East of Eden: Thanks to Oprah, a literary classic may see new life…once again. When the John Steinbeck novel became a 2004 book selection, several parties became interested in adapting the tale one more time. (The story about the Trasks and the Hamiltons has already been turned into a 1955 James Dean film and a 1981 mini-series.) Tom Hopper (HBO’s John Adams) will helm the project.

13: Two current Academy Award nominees will be seen in a remake of 13 Tzameti, a French thriller. In 13, gamblers bet on others playing Russian Roulette. Mickey Rourke and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) will be joined by Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Jason Statham, 50 Cent and Ray Winstone.

Bye Bye Birdie: Bedtime Stories’ Adam Shankman is being given the chance to revive another musical. The producer/director for Hairspray will now be developing a big screen adaptation of Broadway’s Bye Bye Birdie. (Dick Van Dyke starred in a 1963 film version while Jason Alexander fronted a 1995 television production.) No writer has yet been announced for the project.