Joe Carnahan has clearly got a thing for grizzled, take-no-shit leading men in rugged, testosterone-soaked thrillers. With The Grey currently scoring very decent reviews across the board, word is that Carnahan will follow that film up with a reboot of the Charles Bronson actioner Death Wish .
Directed by Michael Winner and released back in 1974, Death Wish is a down and dirty revenge drama, in which Bronson plays an average joe who turns into a gun-wielding vigilante when his wife is murdered by a gang of street punks.
New York’s resident muggers are suddenly in a world of trouble, as Bronson sets about slaying every ne’er do well who crosses his path.
The film would go on to spawn four sequels, and MGM and Paramount clearly feel the time is right for a reboot, with Carnahan having reportedly signed on to occupy the director’s chair.
It’s a move that makes sense, with Carnahan’s Narc a good example of the director’s familiarity with grimy, uncompromising material. No word as yet concerning when the film is expected to open, but who would bet against Liam Neeson snagging the leading role? If he can take a pack of timber wolves, we fancy him against a bunch of street thugs…