The news hit in December 2008 that "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" star Russell Brand would take on the starring Dudley Moore role in a remake of the comedy classic "Arthur." The story follows the titular Art, a boozing layabout, as his family challenges him to earn his inheritance by marrying a woman of high standing, someone whom they believe will whip him into shape. As these stories often go, Arthur instead snaps out of his alcohol-induced haze and falls in love with a working-class woman, threatening the arrangement he's made with his family.
MTV later learned a few additional details from Brand himself. The remake will be set in the original's New York location and it will include more music from Burt Bacharach, who composed the Oscar-winning Best Song for the original, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)." The news today? "Arthur" has found its director.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Jason Winer will take the helm for the planned remake. The name might be unfamiliar to you, but the most recent credits probably won't be: Winer is a director and co-executive producer on the popular new TV series "Modern Family." He'll still be working with Peter Baynham's screenplay, as had originally been reported.
I've never actually seen either "Modern Family" or "Arthur" in its entirety, though I've heard good things about both. The casting of Brand as Moore's character feels a little strange, but then it would be nice to see the "Sarah Marshall" funnyman demonstrate some more range. While "Arthur" is certainly a comedy, he'll have to play it a little straighter than previous roles if he's hoping to capture Moore's character.
Then again, we could be looking at a tonally different remake, something friendlier to Brand's particular comedic stylings. I can envision "Arthur" becoming an Adam Sandler-esque comedy. That said, haven't there been enough of those? I say (and hope) that Brand stretches himself a bit for this, as his one-note act, though entertaining, will get old fast if he doesn't evolve soon.
Are you familiar with the original? How should this remake differ? Would you like to see Brand play things a little straighter than he has in the past?
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