Actor Diego Luna has reportedly been cast in the lead role in Universal's upcoming remake of Scarface. Based on the 1983 film – and the 1932 outing before that – the modern take on the classic will see Luna step into the shoes of Al Pacino to play a version of drug lord Tony Montana. A difference between the 1983 version and this modern remake places the film in Los Angeles instead of Miami, also Tony Montana will be of Mexican descent, not Cuban. Luna has gained sudden popularity thanks to his role as Cassian Andor from Star Wars: Rogue One.
From his interviews, Luna is a handsome, down to Earth actor who takes opportunities as they come. But starring in a Scarface film is an odd choice because so much can go right or terribly wrong. While the movie stars an actor of color, do audiences care to see another remake of Scarface? Especially, after a 33-year gap?
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Still, it is an exciting aspect as an actor of color is representing Scarface. Al Pacino, an Italian-American, played the Cuban immigrant turned drug lord Tony Montana in the 1980s. I'm sure that seemed like an excellent casting choice at the time. Pacino just came off of a career high with the Godfather films, and Scarface looked like the perfect opportunity to display his acting range. It turned out to be a success for Pacino as it’s one of his most recognizable roles, in addition to being a favorite film among younger generations of movie fans.
This worked for that period, but it won’t work now. Luna is the best choice for the role because the whitewashing aspect won't fly with modern audiences. Now more than ever, Fans want to see proper representation and diversity in cinema. However, this could also work against the film because movie audiences are getting sick of remakes.
The remake movie trend took hold of Hollywood and has held on for the last decade. It was cute at first because remakes were worth watching, but now it's just annoying because Hollywood doesn't know the definition of moderation. It's been 33-years since the remake of Scarface released in theaters.
Do moviegoers want to see another remake of a remake? If Universal is banking on nostalgia, the older generation can just watch the 1983 version. If Universal is trying to target a younger demographic, is this something the younger generation is asking for? Who is going to determine whether or not people care about this project at all? If there is no real gauge on audience anticipation, this project could go horribly wrong. The film already has problems as director Antione Fuqua, who was originally attached to direct this remake dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
I imagine there is a lot of pressure to produce a movie that is as good as its predecessors. With modern film technology and bigger budgets, that is possible. However, it will need more to convince audiences it’s worth paying for. Fans don’t like to see their favorites tarnished. If they get the slightest hint this Scarface remake is crappy, they will turn their backs on it, which will force the studio to take a large financial loss. For Luna’s sake, I hope the story and the visuals are on par with what fans of the original and remake want to see. Until then, we will have to wait and see the trailer for reference.
