As the avalanche of remakes continues apace, even films that younger audiences might actually remember are falling down the mountain of studio need for “fresh” material.
1984’s comedy All Of Me – which saw Steve Martin as a lawyer who gets possessed by the soul of Lily Tomlin’s dying heiress – has been targeted by New Line for a spot of reinvention.
And two of their current favourite film types, Queen Latifah and Adam Shankman, both fresh off making Hairspray, are lined up to star and produce, though Shankman isn’t directing yet.
It’s ironic that Latifah is helping to remake a classic Steve Martin comedy, as one of her breakout movies was Bringing Down The House alongside the former Wild & Crazy guy.
"When New Line told us that they wanted to remake it with an African-American actress in the role, we said it's got to be Latifah," Shankman’s producing partner Jennifer Gibgot blabbed to The Hollywood Reporter. "Adam adores her and thinks she's great with physical comedy, and as it happens, she wants to go back to doing physical comedy."
There’s no word how the story will be tweaked (expect more gross-out gags, we’re guessing), and there’s not even a final script yet, but we have to say this right here and now: Carl Reiner, the director of the original, is not the sort of act you want to follow…
