Although it seems to be taking them quite a long time to put things together, the remake of the 1981 comedy Arthur, whichRussell Brand is attached to star in, continues its journey to the screen. A couple of months ago it was rumoured that they were planning a bit of a gender switch, and that although the main character, drunken playboy Arthur, would still be a man, his butler would become a woman.
Back then it was said the producer were angling to try and get Meryl Streep to take the role, but now it seems they’ve moved onto another great lady of film, Dame Helen Mirren. Variety reports that she will play a reimaging of the Oscar-winning John Gielgud role, who would be Arthur’s longtime nanny.
The original Arthur saw Dudley Moore playing a rich drunken playboy, whose family tell him that the only way he will inherit a vast fortune is if he marries the woman they deem suitable. While he’s initially willing to go along with this, he then who falls for a working class woman (Liza Minelli) and turns to his valet (Gielgud) for help in sorting out the situation.
The remake will be helmed by Jason Winter (Modern Family), and should shoot later this year.