Ryan Reynolds Sets His Sights on a Remake of Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges’ THUNDERBOLT & LIGHTFOOT
Ryan Reynolds is gearing up to put his own spin on a classic. Amazon MGM Studios is developing a remake of the 1974 action-comedy Thunderbolt & Lightfoot, with Reynolds attached to star and produce under his Maximum Effort banner.
The project will mark the feature directorial debut of Shane Reid, who previously worked as an editor on Deadpool & Wolverine, the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever.
Reynolds is co-writing the script with Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson, the duo behind FX’s Fargo season four and the crime drama Snowfall. They also contributed to The Kingdom, the MMA drama starring Frank Grillo.
The original Thunderbolt & Lightfoot was written and directed by Michael Cimino in his debut feature and starred Clint Eastwood as a seasoned bank robber who teams up with a wild young drifter, played by Jeff Bridges, for a daring new heist.
The film blended action, dark comedy, and buddy-movie charm in a way that made it a standout of its era. It landed Bridges an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Reynolds’ Maximum Effort continues to be one of the busiest banners in Hollywood. The company renewed its first-look deal with Paramount earlier this year and has several high-profile projects in motion.
Reynolds will next be seen playing the villain in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Eloise, which he’s also producing. He’s also lending his voice to Animal Friends, the upcoming hybrid animated film from Legendary and Warner Bros., set to release next summer.
Revisiting Thunderbolt & Lightfoot seems like a solid project for Reynolds, who’s made a career out of mixing sharp humor with heart and action.
Source: Deadline