Weinstein Co. to remake Total Recall

Posted by fanshawe

September 10, 2007

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Moviehole reports that 1990 science fiction hit Total Recall will soon get a remake. The Weinsteins had reportedly wanted to do a sequel for some time with Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising Douglas Quaid and joining the group of veterans who have resuscitated their roles in cult franchises recently, Sylvester Stallone (Rocky, Rambo), Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) and Bruce Willis (John McClane).

Since, however, Schwarzenegger has been busy pursuing his other little hobby, the Weinsteins opted for a remake instead.

Total Recall, directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Rachel Ticotin, Michael Ironside and Sharon Stone alongside Arnie, was a huge hit when it hit the theatres in 1990s. Based on the short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, it is one of the movies that have brought Philip K. Dick’s name to the Hollywood mainstream over the years. More recent adaptations of his work include Steven Spielberg’s action thriller Minority Report (2002) starring Tom Cruise, Samantha Morton and Colin Farrell, John Woo’s Paycheck (2003) starring Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Paul Giamatti and Uma Thurman, Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly (2006), starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey, Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson, and Lee Tamahori’s Next, starring Nicolas Cage, Julianna Moore and Jessica Biel.

A Scanner Darkly was the only attempt at a faithful adaptation, but in the end it merely confirmed the thesis that Dick’s character-based works do not translate easily to the big screen even when one sticks to the book.

The final cut of the best known and only critically acclaimed PKD adaptation, Blade Runner, will see limited release in U.S. theatres in October and then be released on DVD some time in December, as director Ridley Scott announced at this year’s Comic Con.