Long-gestating plans to remake one of Kevin Costner’s and Whitney Houston’s best-known movies have finally taken another step forward. Houston, regularly touted as one of the greatest singers of all time, first stepped into the public eye via her 1984 duet “Hold Me”. Her subsequent 1985 debut album would also become the first solo album to boast three US number 1 singles by a female artist. In addition to her vaunted music career, Houston starred in several small television roles before transitioning into film in the early 1990s opposite Costner.
Meanwhile, Costner began his own acting career in the early 1980s, however, it would be his portrayal of the Prohibition agent Eliot Ness in 1987’s The Untouchables that first catapulted him into stardom. In 1990, Costner would also go on to star in and direct the western epic Dances With Wolves, which would go on to earn an impressive 12 Academy Award nominations, with Costner winning both Best Director and Best Picture.
The Remake of Costner’s & Houston’s Iconic Romance Lands A New Director & Screenwriter
Plans For A Bodyguard Update Were First Announced in 2021
After following his Dances with Wolves success with the romanticized Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Costner would team with Houston for what would eventually become her most memorable role. Originally planned to go into production in 1978 with Diana Ross and Ryan O’Neal, 1992’s The Bodyguard would see Costner play a former Secret Service agent who is hired to protect Houston’s pop superstar from a dangerous stalker. In 2021, it was announced that a remake was in the works, with Tony-nominated playwright Matthew López tapped to pen the script.
Per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Warner Bros. has just injected fresh life into the project, with studio bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy revealing that both a new screenwriter and director have been attached to the project. Juror No. 2 scribe Jonathan A. Abrams has been selected to take over from López as screenwriter, while Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour director Sam Wrench will helm the film. At this stage, no casting decisions have been made.
What This Update Means For The Bodyguard Remake
The Bodyguard’s New Director Has Firsthand Experiences With Pop Stars
Despite receiving mixed reviews, The Bodyguard would go on to gross an impressive $411 million at the worldwide box office and produce one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time. Whether Warner Bros. can seek to replicate the same kind of success with their new creative team at the helm remains to be seen, but Wrench’s firsthand experience with the realities of a major touring artist will undoubtedly come in handy as he seeks to put a fresh spin on the property.
Moreover, with Abrams’ Juror No. 2 lauded as one of the best films of 2024, he is likely to provide an interesting take on Lawrence Kasdan’s original script. However, with much of the original movie’s success ultimately based on its casting, all eyes will now be on which potential pop star may be tapped to take Houston’s place in The Bodyguard remake, though Wrench’s involvement will likely have many people immediately thinking of Swift.
Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
