Fans of 1974’s THE GAMBLER may have actually been looking forward to the touted remake. Whilst that’s a rarity amongst cinephiles, who can complain when THE DEPARTED writer-director combo William Monahan and Martin Scorsese are on board? But let’s not pop that champagne cork just yet, because odds are new THE GAMBLER project has taken a turn for the worse, as it’s been dealt a duff hand as THE HANGOVER’s Todd Phillips is now attached to direct.
If he does sign on for the gig, Phillips – whose output has seen a significant decline in quality, and bordered on the downright unpleasant – will hang up his ‘comedy’ boots for what is sure to be a serious outing.
THE GAMBLER, originally directed by Karel Reisz, tells the story of a literature professor whose gambling problem puts his life in the shithouse, not to mention a heap of trouble with local gangsters. James Caan played the titular role in the original.
The new version has bags of potential, and hopefully Phillips’ early days as a legit documentary maker come into play. Either that or expect Zach Galifinakis to take the lead.
Source: THR
