It’s fair to say that no one has ever asked for a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography, and yet Paramount has decided to reboot one of his best films.
As reported by Deadline, Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the original film, has secured the rights to remake the 1958 psychological thriller, Vertigo.
Robert Downey Jr. is said to be contemplating playing the lead role, and Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, is set to pen the script. Downey Jr.’s production company, Team Downey, will be involved in the production alongside Davis Entertainment and Paramount Pictures.
Vertigo is based on Boileau-Narcejac’s 1954 novel, D’entre les morts (From Among the Dead). The story centers around John Ferguson, a retired detective who suffers from a paralyzing fear of heights and vertigo. Ferguson is drawn back into investigative work when an old friend hires him to keep tabs on his wife who has been exhibiting peculiar behavior.
Hitchcock’s iconic film was the first movie to employ the dolly zoom, an in-camera technique that alters perspective to induce disorientation, in order to depict Ferguson’s acrophobia. This led to the technique being dubbed “the Vertigo effect.” Despite its current status as one of the greatest films ever made, upon its initial release, Vertigo received mixed reviews, with several critics describing it as “too long and slow.”
The last endeavor to remake a Hitchcock classic resulted in a complete disaster. Gus Van Sant’s 1998 rendition of Psycho was a critical and commercial flop that received multiple Golden Raspberry Awards. Bearing this in mind, Steven Knight has his work cut out for him. Nevertheless, his exceptional contributions to 2007’s Eastern Promises, 2013’s Locke, as well as the highly acclaimed series Peaky Blinders suggest that he may be the ideal candidate to undertake this daunting task.
Furthermore, the 63-year-old screenwriter is now attached to the upcoming Star Wars film following the departure of Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson. The untitled Star Wars film is slated to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who helmed the Disney+ series, Ms. Marvel.
Meanwhile, Robert Downey Jr. is poised to have a packed filming schedule. The MCU star has committed himself to several projects, including HBO’s upcoming drama series, The Sympathizer, Shane Black’s Playing Dirty, and Adam McKay’s political satire, Average Height, Average Build.
In the meantime, audiences can look forward to his appearance in Christopher Nolan’s biopic, Oppenheimer, which is slated to hit theaters on July 21.
