Glenn Powell Top Choice for ‘Backdraft’ Remake

Preview:

• Producer Brian Glazer says he is working on a ‘backdraft’ remake.
• He mentioned that Glenn Powell is likely to star in the project.
• No other official details yet.

Glenn Powell is, as the old saying goes, “so hot right now.” He confirmed his star status with the likes of ‘Anyone But You’ and ‘Hit Man’ and is back in theaters this weekend with ‘Twisters’, which is getting some positive reviews like Tornado Cows and Scooping Up Cars.

As you can imagine, then, he’s high on the list of people to work with at studios and production companies, and that includes Brian Grazer.

The veteran producer, Ron Howard’s business partner, who has helmed many movies and TV shows on screens of all sizes, is now talking about returning to the territory he and Howard tackled in 1991.

“Silently behind the door he waits. One breath of oxygen and he explodes into a deadly rage. In that moment he can make a hero…or uncover a secret.”

And if he really wants to do it, he obviously needs A) a fire ax and B) Glenn Powell – Grazer told the CNBC business series Squawk Box As part of a wide-ranging interview about the future of Hollywood, he dropped a mention of a possible remake of ‘Backdraft’.

Here’s what Grazer had to say:

“Imagine [Entertainment] Always played in that zone where it’s a chance, a high chance of a chance, that [a movie] The film will be successful in theatres. That’s great for us because we’ve built more than 100 different products –– brands, over 30 years. Whether it’s ‘Backdraft’ which I’m going to do today with Glenn Powell, or whether it’s 24, we’re going to do it in a very interesting way with Disney-Fox.

You can find more information about the movie ’24’ in our report below.

What is the story of ‘Backdraft’?

‘Backdraft’ – directed by Howard from a script by Gregory Widen –– follows Chicago firefighter brothers Stephen (Kurt Russell) and Brian (William Baldwin), who have been rivals since childhood.

Brian, struggling to prove himself, is transferred to the fire unit. There he helps Don (Robert De Niro) investigate fires involving oxygen-induced infernos called backdrafts. But when a crooked politician and an arsonist plot lead Brian to Stephen, he’s forced to overcome his sibling rivalry to crack the case.

It was a huge box office hit, grossing more than $150 million worldwide from a $40 million budget (in 1991, don’t forget).

And if your remake anger level is rising, you might also remember –– or, for most people, learn –– that a sequel to the original arrived in 2019. William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland were among the actors who approached the direct-to-video effort with some heat.

What else did Grazer say about a possible new ‘backdraft’?

According to the producer, we can see the fire effects –– which were so cool in the 1991 effort, and practically come to life –– given the modern-day make-over:

“AI and digital effects have advanced themselves so far that you can have tiny little cameras, almost imperceptible, that will capture the physics of fire in a way that’s never been done before… That’s the advancement of AI and digital effects. And there are benefits. “

Will Glenn Powell really be a star?

Grazer isn’t one to spread wild rumors, so his mention of Powell’s name means there may have been discussions even though there was no deal. And given that there’s zero official word on any studio involvement (Universal owns the rights), it’s a waiting game at this point.

Powell, meanwhile, has already been linked to a remake or two: He’ll star in Edgar Wright’s take on ‘The Running Man’ and has been named as a possible lead for a new take on ‘Heaven Can Wait’.