Alfred Hitchcock’s classic psychological thriller Vertigo is reportedly getting a remake with Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. eyed for the lead role. Paramount Pictures preemptively purchased the rights to the 1958 franchise where they intend to put a new spin (pun intended) on the movie.
The script will be penned by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, with Robert and his wife, Susan, producing the project via Team Downey. They will also collaborate with John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psychological Thriller ‘Vertigo’ Gets A Modern Spin
Robert Downey Jr. is reportedly playing James Stewart, a former police detective who was forced to resign from his position following a traumatic incident that left him scared of heights. After his retirement, he gets hired by a friend to tail the man’s wife, as a result of her sudden erratic behavior.
The movie was a game-changer in the field of filmmaking as it is the first one to use the dolly zoom, an in-camera device that allows distortion of the view to create a disoriented image that would engage the audience in a more realistic scene and compel to feel the cop’s fear of heights.
Considered one of the best classic films ever created, Vertigo is based on the 1954 novel D’entre les morts by Boileau-Narcejac. The movie was not widely acclaimed at the time it was released. It was criticized for the lengthy duration despite the simplicity of the plot, consisting of several irrelevant details and extraneous scenes.
In a post from L’officiel Monaco, Hitchcock shot the movie at the height of his career, although it almost failed at the box office due to the audience’s cold reception. Modern audiences consider it now a classic and even gained international fame over the years. The American Film Institute even bestowed it the #9 spot on its list of best films of all time.
Hitchcock is known for his passion for exploring human obsession in films. The famed director’s Vertigo has since then influenced numerous movies, such as Brian De Palma’s Obsession, David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, and Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave.
Robert Downey Jr. is also no stranger to crime-solving stories, as he previously portrayed Sherlock Holmes, the legendary detective in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel of the same title.
Fans Protest Over Modern Take On The Cult Classic Hitchcock Film ‘Vertigo’
Movie remakes always stir debate among audiences, and it seems that the reported Vertigo reboot is not pleasant news for many. Fans are not liking the idea of “messing” with a classic movie, especially those that have already achieved the status of a cult film.
Check out their tweets below:
You don't remake Hitchcock
— Kyle Phillips (@pixarfan939) March 23, 2023
No, thanks. The very suggestion of this makes me dizzy.
— Gregg Kilday (@gkilday) March 23, 2023
Why do they always have to remake things . Just leave that classic movie alone
— Becca (@becca_aurora) March 23, 2023
No thank you. This film is perfect.
— Natalie B. Cross (@nataliebcross) March 23, 2023
I would rather live through another global pandemic than for this to become reality
— mayhaps another time (@wallacerobertr) March 23, 2023
The 1958 Vertigo film was also produced by Paramount Pictures, and the Hitchcock Estate agreed to bring the modern take to its original home. The script for the classic film was originally penned by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor.
Source: Deadline, L’officiel Monaco
