The Saint returns to the Big Screen

[Octoberist]

EXCLUSIVE: The last time I wrote about The Saint, Mace Neufeld, Bill McDonald, Robert Evans, and David Brown were producing it with Val Kilmer. As we know in Hollywood, everything old is new (re-imagined, remade, revamped, rebooted) again and so it goes with the espionage thriller The Saint, for which Paramount has just secured the book series rights. Producing deals are being closed now, but it’s likely that Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brad Krevoy and Robert Evans will be among the producers in hopes of launching another action franchise at the studio.

Based on the original series of books that ran from 1928 to 1963 from Leslie Charteris, The Saint is the story of Simon Templar, a smart, quick-witted man who went after the scourges of the Earth — corrupt politicians, war profiteers, drug runners — to benefit his country and the greater good. It hatched a popular TV series in the U.K. and in the U.S.

If the deal makes, the studio may have another franchise in development as the character itself seems ripe for a re-do in a modern age of terrorism and corruption in the political ranks. di Bonaventura, of course, helped to launch the lucrative Transformers franchise for the studio and, of course, everyone knows Evans as the studio executive on The Godfather. Stay tuned.

http://deadline.com/2016/06/the-saint-new-paramount-movie-1201769894/

 

[Octoberist]

There's potential in this. Make it something stylish but keep the 60's vibe ala Kingsman or Sodenbergh's Ocean's 11.

I wouldn't be against a female version of Templar. Heck, throughout the movie, the bad guys are probably looking for a man when it's actually a woman.

 

[Mysteryman]

I wouldn't mind if Hollywood took another crack at this.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I wanted the love the Kilmer version but... MEH. I love the idea and Mystery is right. This could have another crack taken at it. I agree with Octoberist too. Keep the early sixties cool vibe, maybe even base it in the late 50's/early 60's. I'll be the first to put forward the usual names as the lead... Hiddleston and Cumberbatch would make great Simon Templars.

 

[Hunter Rider]

This is ripe material for another try, hopefully they don't just try to make him into a Bond or Bourne.

 

[Silvermoth]

I wonder what else they can do that the man from uncle, bond and Bourne aren't doing though?

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Well there is a tradition of breaking the Fourth Wall as it were with the Saint, in book and TV form to one degree or the other. That's a wrinkle not in Bourne or Bond.

 

[Jason Kane]

This is ripe material for another try, hopefully they don't just try to make him into a Bond or Bourne.

All the more reason why I feel if any Saint film happens it should be positioned at the era when the books began publishing

 

[Vaibow]

I feel it should be an old man, like Roger Moore, telling his grandson about his adventures, so it has this fantasy element, not so obvious but subtle, where he can break the fourth wall in a more convenient way as he is the story teller. This needs to be like Indianna Jones in tone, light hearted yet respectful and fun.

That would be pretty neat. Maybe Cavill gets his 3rd shot at spydom.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I feel it should be an old man, like Roger Moore, telling his grandson about his adventures, so it has this fantasy element, not so obvious but subtle, where he can break the fourth wall in a more convenient way as he is the story teller. This needs to be like Indianna Jones in tone, light hearted yet respectful and fun.

That would be pretty neat. Maybe Cavill gets his 3rd shot at spydom.

The "Tall Tales" thing would be a good way to work in the fourth wall aspect...

 

[James.B]

Chris Pratt In Early Talks For ‘The Saint’

 

[Deck Rickard]

Ugh, another action vehicle for Pratt. I like the guy, but I'm guessing his Templar would just be Star-Lord/Jurassic World Guy Redux. Can't they at least get an English actor this time around?

 

[Dark Raven]

Ugh, another action vehicle for Pratt. I like the guy, but I'm guessing his Templar would just be Star-Lord/Jurassic World Guy Redux. Can't they at least get an English actor this time around?

No, not Pratt. The Saint should be English instead of Americanised. Are there no good English actors out there? Making him American was part of the problem of Val Kilmer's take on him last time round.

Pratt doesn't even have anywhere near the gentlemanly and refined qualities that you associate with Templar.

They need to find a Bond reject who might not make the cut for a 007 movie but gets a second chance by playing the Saint instead. That's where to look. At all the usual suspects who are Bond candidates.

If they're going with anyone from the MCU, I'd rather they got someone like Tom Hiddleston or Benedict Cumberbatch.

I feel it should be an old man, like Roger Moore, telling his grandson about his adventures, so it has this fantasy element, not so obvious but subtle, where he can break the fourth wall in a more convenient way as he is the story teller. This needs to be like Indianna Jones in tone, light hearted yet respectful and fun.

That would be pretty neat. Maybe Cavill gets his 3rd shot at spydom.

What do you mean an old man like Moore? He's not exactly what I'd call old anymore. He's beyond that now. He's dead!

 

[Hunter Rider]

Chris Pratt In Early Talks For ‘The Saint’

Nothing says suave, sophisticated Englishman quite like Chris Pratt.............

 

[samsnee]

Yeah he’s all wrong for the role. Templar’s not Bond but he’s not a cowboy either.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Dexter Fletcher To Remake ‘The Saint’ At Paramount – Deadline

 

[Micromind]

Why can't they get Benjamin Walker ?

 

[BobJM]

No mention of Sherlock Holmes 3. Is that still happening with Dexter Fletcher, or is this replacing that for him?

 

[Schlosser85]

Why can't they get Benjamin Walker ?

Who’s not British either...

 

[Deck Rickard]

I'm sorry, I'll only accept Gillian Anderson as an American playing a Brit. She should be the new Simone Templar.

 

[Vaibow]

No, not Pratt. The Saint should be English instead of Americanised. Are there no good English actors out there? Making him American was part of the problem of Val Kilmer's take on him last time round.

Pratt doesn't even have anywhere near the gentlemanly and refined qualities that you associate with Templar.

They need to find a Bond reject who might not make the cut for a 007 movie but gets a second chance by playing the Saint instead. That's where to look. At all the usual suspects who are Bond candidates.

If they're going with anyone from the MCU, I'd rather they got someone like Tom Hiddleston or Benedict Cumberbatch.



What do you mean an old man like Moore? He's not exactly what I'd call old anymore. He's beyond that now. He's dead!

Exactly what it means, cast an older man, like Roger Moore. There are plenty of older actors, like Roger Moore.
Bill Nighy, Richard E Grant, Jeremy Irons.. maybe even Dalton, Brosnan (if not too on the nose)

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Uh... Moore played the Saint when he was an "older man" of 34.

 

[Wheels]

No, not Pratt. The Saint should be English instead of Americanised. Are there no good English actors out there? Making him American was part of the problem of Val Kilmer's take on him last time round.

Pratt doesn't even have anywhere near the gentlemanly and refined qualities that you associate with Templar.

They need to find a Bond reject who might not make the cut for a 007 movie but gets a second chance by playing the Saint instead. That's where to look. At all the usual suspects who are Bond candidates.

If they're going with anyone from the MCU, I'd rather they got someone like Tom Hiddleston or Benedict Cumberbatch.



What do you mean an old man like Moore? He's not exactly what I'd call old anymore. He's beyond that now. He's dead!

All the good English actors are too busy playing Americans.

 

[Vaibow]

Uh... Moore played the Saint when he was an "older man" of 34.

The penny drops.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]