'Scarface' Remake Needs To Find Yet Another Director

You would think with all the talent involved with Universal‘s remake of “Scarface,” it should have no problem getting made. However, the project is beginning to smell like there are too many creative visions that are clashing and the studio doesn’t know what they want.

First, Antoine Fuqua signed up to direct, and Terrence Winter (“The Sopranos,” “Boardwalk Empire“) came into polish the script. Then Diego Luna signed up to star, and none other than the effin’ Coen Brothers brought their pens to the screenplay. You would think that would be enough to get the ball rolling. But Fuqua decided to prioritize “The Equalizer 2,” so David Ayer came on board, and then he did a rewrite. And apparently it was too much for Universal to handle.

READ MORE: Will Smith & David Ayer Reteam In First Teaser For Netflix’s ‘Bright’ Penned By Max Landis

THR reports that Ayer has left the gangster remake. Apparently, his script was “too dark” for Universal, which is a bit mind-boggling, considering how outrageous Brain De Palma‘s beloved 1983 version is. You’d think that the studio would want something similarly intense, but I suppose in this era of four-quadrant appeal, there are limits.

In case you forgot, the broad strokes of the remake finds the story set in contemporary Los Angeles and follows a Mexican immigrant who searches for power and money. “Scarface” was on the calendar for an August 10, 2018 release date, but that looks unlikely now, given that there’s no director nor a script that Universal likes. It’ll be interesting to see if Universal can salvage this or if it winds up in development hell.