Before you say it, we know — Hollywood is yet again making another (perhaps) pointless English-language remake of a great foreign film. That being said, there’s something interesting about the cast and crew that’s being put together for the upcoming remake of 2014’s “Force Majeure,” titled “Downhill.”
According to Deadline, Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are attached to star in the upcoming Fox Searchlight film “Downhill,” the English-language remake of the incredible Swedish dramedy, “Force Majeure.” For those that haven’t seen the 2014 film, “Force Majeure” (and ostensibly “Downhill”) tells the story of a family that is thrown into chaos while on a ski trip when an avalanche narrowly misses them. There’s a major plot point being left out of that description, and that’s on purpose, as you really should go into the film knowing as little as possible.
In addition to Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus, the report claims that “Downhill” will be directed by the duo of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash are attached to direct the remake, based on a script from “Four Lions” writer Jesse Armstrong. Faxon and Rash are probably best known for their films “The Descendants” and “The Way Way Back.” The duo won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “The Descendants.”
“Obviously, [Fox] Searchlight is like family at this point. We’re honored to be working with them for a third time. But, to also have our paths cross with Julia, and a fellow Groundling alum in Will, makes this all the more special and exciting for us,” Faxon and Rash said.
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It’ll be interesting to see how Ferrell, Louis-Dreyfus, Faxon, and Rash handle the tone of “Downhill.” Even though you can describe “Force Majeure” as a dramedy, there’s not a lot of situational comedy to be found, which seems to be the bread and butter of actors like Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus. Will Fox Searchlight keep the unique tone of the Swedish film, which makes it so special, or will they go for a more four-quadrant, broad comedy version of the film? The answer to that question could decide whether or not film fans will give “Downhill” a shot.
There’s no release date for “Downhill” as of now, but production is said to begin in Austria in early 2019.