Russell Brand’s bid for world domination may have hit a snag, with today’s news that the hedge-haired Brit comedian has agreed to star in a remake of, erm, Drop Dead Fred.
Yes, that** Drop Dead Fred **– the Rik Mayall atrocity from 1991, in which the Bottom star played Phoebe Cates’ anarchic imaginary best friend. Awful in a way that only Tom Green fans could begin to recognise and appreciate, it’s somehow garnered something of a cult following over the years, enough to make Universal feel that a Brand-led remake might be just the ticket.
Dennis McNicholas, one of the writers on the upcoming Will Ferrell comedy, Land Of The Lost, will write the script for the movie, which will focus more on the world of imaginary friends, with Brand, as you’d expect, taking on the Mayall role. Let’s hope he’s nowhere near as annoying.
We’re a little torn by this. We’re always having pops at Hollywood for remaking great movies, so you’d think that we’d welcome news that they’re remaking a clunker – after all, the only way for Drop Dead Fred has to be up, particularly with the increasingly hot Brand, who has **Forgetting Sarah Marshall **semi-sequel, Get Him To The Greek, and the remake of Arthur on his plate, leading the way. Right?
Marc Platt, producer of Wanted and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, is producing for Universal. And that is a good sign...