Exclusive: Alfie’s Return

Lock up your women and arm the barricades because Alfie is back. The original lothario of the 60s who makes even Bond seem positively backward in the old wooing stakes is to get a 21st-century makeover according to the very legend who played him, Sir Michael Caine. Jetting into London this weekend from the Texan set of his new film Secondhand Lions in which he stars with Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment, Caine let slip to Empire Online that the role that made him a star is to be revived – and with a possible Mr Pitt in the central stud's role. According to Sir Michael, a writer responsible for hit US sitcom Frasier has been recruited to write the script – a development which prompted Caine to mutter, "I feel rather jealous." And he went on, "I think Brad Pitt's going to play it." Caine was also full of praise for the pretty Mr Aniston, "He's a very good actor, but he's too good-looking so people don’t think he can act." Speaking at the world premiere of his new film The Quiet American which looks more than likely to bag him another Oscar nomination, Caine welcomed the recent rash of remakes of his most famous films. When asked about the new version of The Italian Job and the prospect of Mark Wahlberg zipping around L.A. instead of Turin in a souped up BMW-manufactured Mini, Caine was philosophical, "I don't mind," he said and commented about the urge to replicate his films, "I think it's a complement." Those who were foolish enough to sit through Stallone's 2001 version of Get Carter might, however, disagree.