Earlier in the year news broke that a remake of legendary western The Magnificent Seven was in the works with Antoine Fuqua (Olympus Has Fallen) taking the hot seat and Tom Cruise, Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman just a few names being linked with a role. Since then not much else has been revealed about the planned remake. However while promoting his latest flick The Equalizer at TIFF, Fuqua announced that one actor has already signed on, Denzel Washington.
This will mark the third time time Fuqua has directed Washington since they first worked together 13 years ago on Training Day. Fuqua praised Washington on his professionalism and why he enjoys working with him:
“Denzel’s all about the work…He’s all about the acting. He’s an actor. He’ll tell you himself, ‘I’m not a movie star, celebrity, something else, I’m an actor’…He steps on a set that’s what he is and that’s what he gives you…He gives his heart.”
Jason Blumenthal (Seven Pounds) is producing for MGM while John Lee Hancock (Snow White & The Huntsman) has rewritten the original script drafted by True Detective’s Nic Pizzolatto. The original film was released in 1960 and was somewhat of a remake of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. It featured an ensemble cast that included Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson as American gunmen tasked with protecting a Mexican village from bandits. It’s likely the remake will attempt to replicate the cast with some of today’s biggest stars. Kevin Costner has also been rumoured to be involved. No word yet on when production might begin but Fuqua is set to direct a Suge Knight documentary followed by Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams so The Magnificent Seven remake should follow that.
Who else would you like to team up with Denzel Washington?
Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter
Originally published September 9, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
