Steven Spielberg's "Harvey"

[Double Down]

While sites were reporting that Steven Spielberg was circling a spy franchise ("Matt Helm"), the hard-to-predict director instead was stealthily agreeing to remake "Harvey" as his next project.
"Harvey" is the story of Elwood P. Dowd, and his friendship with a 6-and-a-half-foot tall invisible rabbit.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1944 was turned into a 1950 movie starring Jimmy Stewart. It also has been produced as a television movie three times, with Stewart reprising the role in 1972.
According to a press release, the screenplay will by done by bestselling novelist Jonathan Tropper.
The movie will be a co-production between 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks.
The release states casting and pre-production will begin immediately, with production to start early next year.
No actors are aligned with the project as yet, but would it really surprise anyone if Tom Hanks were the first actor to get a call for the role of Elwood P. Dowd?

 

[Bond]

Why do you keep ignoring the Abe Lincoln movie, Steven?!?!

 

[Figs]

Why do you keep ignoring the Abe Lincoln movie, Steven?!?!

Seriously.

I would love to see that project come to life. Liam Neeson in the role would be great.

 

[CelticPredator]

He needs to do another horror flick. With lotsa gore.

 

[Double Down]

From Variety:

While DreamWorks has several pictures that Spielberg loves--the Abraham Lincoln project is one--those pictures weren't ready, and Spielberg wanted to get back to work quickly.

 

[DACrowe]

boo. Get Lincoln ready and MAKE IT.

Just saying.

 

[terry78]

So this will be somewhat of an Oscar grabber for the year it's released, seeing as how we will never actually see Harvey. Unless they do a few scenes where we do see him from Dowd's POV. In that case, ILM for the Harvey fx.

 

[The Guard]

There's no reason to show Harvey. None. That defeats the purpose and any impact the concept has entirely.

I love HARVEY. Love it. It's one of Stewart's best roles, and its a plum role for middle aged men. But it's also BORING AS HELL compared to a lot of other concepts. I guess Spielberg has reached the point where he can pretty much do what he wants, but this just seems like a massive waste of his time and talent. I mean, it's a play, and it's been done to death on stages everywhere, and I'm sure it can be done "better" and more seriously than the original was, with Harvey's origins and role in Dowd's life actually explored, but still...

 

[Double Down]

Aint It Cool's take:

Spielberg takes most unnecessary remake since A GUY NAMED JOE. This time it is HARVEY!

Hey folks, Harry here - and frankly I'm a little depressed by the latest news from Mike Fleming over at Variety. It seems that Steven Spielberg is next going to remake HARVEY, when he's finished with TINTIN.

Thus far in Spielberg's career he's had two rather severe career missteps. The first was when he went to remake the beloved Spencer Tracy film, A GUY NAMED JOE with his film ALWAYS. The movie just didn't live up to the original. Then he wanted to recapture PETER PAN with HOOK - and again it did not wind up pretty. With HARVEY, he has an absolutely perfect original film starring Jimmy Stewart and his invisible rabbit, Harvey. It is easily one of the most beloved films in the history of cinema starring pretty much the most beloved actor in cinema history. Well, Steven is going to remake it. God help us if he decides to show us the Rabbit, which we most certainly do not need to see.

I don't know about you, but this may actually take the record as the single most unnecessary remake in the history of remakes.

Harry

 

[Bunker]

wtf is this ****, Steven?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Seriously. Harvey is too much a product of its era. The movie is as slow as they come. On top of the very light characters surrounding Stewart's character.

It's a great movie but would have no place with modern characters.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Instead of this thread turning into the predictable "OMG WHY ANOTHER REMAKE!? HOLLYWOOD IS SO UNORIGINAL!"

Who do you think Spielberg will cast in the immortal Jimmy Stewart role? I know that him and Jim Carrey have been trying to find a project together for years and I know that Jim Carrey is a HUGE Jimmy Stewart fan. Or he could end up going to Tom Hanks who has always been called a modern day Jimmy Stewart. Or he could go all out and cast someone like Will Smith and REALLY update the concept.

 

[Double Down]

Shia LaBeouf will play the rabbit.

 

[gwynplaine]

Hasn't Harvey been remade already ? It was called "Donnie Darko" ("Harvey" on acid)

Also Harvey and "his little Bunny" made me think of
(I wonder if it was intentional on the Nolans' partt

 

[terry78]

I think he can do this as his little indie pet project like Munich was, but should still do a giant epic the same year.

 

[Dr. Evil]

There were three TV movie versions of the original classic?

 

[Secret Fawful]

He needs to do another horror flick. With lotsa gore.

You know he almost directed Rose Red. And that made me very angry to hear, because he would have made it so much better.

 

[Wolfwood]

Instead of this thread turning into the predictable "OMG WHY ANOTHER REMAKE!? HOLLYWOOD IS SO UNORIGINAL!"

Who do you think Spielberg will cast in the immortal Jimmy Stewart role? I know that him and Jim Carrey have been trying to find a project together for years and I know that Jim Carrey is a HUGE Jimmy Stewart fan. Or he could end up going to Tom Hanks who has always been called a modern day Jimmy Stewart. Or he could go all out and cast someone like Will Smith and REALLY update the concept.

I wouldn't mind seeing Jim Carrey step in to the role. I'd love to see Stephen direct him.

Shia LaBeouf will play the rabbit.

And then if George Lucas has any input, they'll use CGI to make him invisible.

 

[gwynplaine]

Shia LaBeouf will play the rabbit.

Or maybe the rabbit will be a prairie dog.

 

[CelticPredator]

This is more of a film suited for Michael Bay....

 

[Bunker]

An invisible rabbit that's skilled with C4 fights an army of grizzly bears.

**** yes.

 

[Carnotaur3]

First of all, Richard Kelly already remade it. It's called Donnie Darko.

 

[craigdbfan]

"I am very happy to be working again with my friend Tom Rothman who shepherded us through Minority Report, and with Elizabeth and Carla, who I'm looking forward to collaborating with." Spielberg said in a press release.

Tom Rothman has friends?

 

[Nirvana]

I love Steven's work, but why? It seems like a massive waste of his time.

 

[Octoberist]

It seems like Ridley Scott and Martin Scoreses continue to broaden their horizons, while Spielberg..I don't know what's up with him anymore..