It’s been a long time since a British comedian took America by storm quite like Russell Brand. Sacha Baron Cohen? Maybe, but very much in character. Steve Coogan’s given it a go, but not quite made the breakthrough. Simon Pegg’s done bloody well, but nobody’s attacked the American market with the vim and vigour of Brand since, oh, Dudley Moore.
Which makes it rather apt that Brand today announced that he’s developing a remake of Arthur, the film that really launched Moore’s American career.
The tale of a drunken playboy who must choose between a partner of similar social stature, which will allow him to win a fortune in inheritance, or the working-class woman he loves, which will see him pick up precisely sweet F.A., the 1982 original is considered something of a classic. Moore, who was never more appealing or lovable, was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, while John Gielgud, who played his faithful butler Hobson, won Best Supporting Actor.
Whether the new version will see Brand end up with an Oscar nom is far, far too difficult to call at this early stage, but it’s clear that the role is tailor-made for the controversial comedian. After all, he’s been there, done that as far as partying, debauchery and carousing goes.
Brand, of course, stole the show in Forgeting Sarah Marshall earlier this year, and is set to reprise his role as rock star Aldous Snow in the mooted follow-up, Get Him To The Greek. But Arthur will be a true star vehicle, and one that could send him over the top in the States. Funnily enough, when Brand resigned from his Radio 2 show a few weeks ago in the wake of the Andrew Sachs business, we thought it wouldn’t be too long before something bigger and better came his way. And now this.
Brand is currently meeting with prospective writers for the movie, which will be produced by Larry Brezner for Warner Bros. It’s all early days yet, but we’re pretty excited about this one, and not least because of the prospect of a jazzed-up remix of the wonderful Oscar-winning song, Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do). Altogether now: “When you get caught between the moon and New York City…”