Suicide SquadandTraining DaydirectorDavid Ayerreflects on his currently unmade remake of the 80s crimes classic,Scarface, calling it one of the “best scripts” he has ever written. Discussing the project, which has gone through multiple directors and writers over the last decade or so, Ayer revealed that hisScarfacescript is still being shared around in the “Hollywood underground.”
“One of the best scripts I’ve ever written was my Scarface draft. It gets passed around in Hollywood, underground. It’s funny when people talk about the project. ‘Is it the Ayer script?’ ‘No, it’s somebody else.’ ‘Oh, OK.'”
TheScarfaceremake would retell the cinematic classic starring Al Pacino and directed by Brian De Palma about Cuban refugee Tony Montana who arrives penniless in Miami and begins a life of crime in pursuit of the American dream.
The remake has been in development since as far back as 2011, with Ayer’s script initially set to be helmed byHarry PotterandPain Hustlersdirector David Yates. Since then, the likes of Pablo Larraín and Antoine Fuqua have been attached, with Terence Winter and the Coen brothers writing different scripts.
The studio ditching Ayer’s script has led to rumors that his take was turned down for being too violent, a misconception that the writer and director refutes. Instead, Ayer describes hisScarfacescript as a “rich, soulful journey” while speaking withTotal Film.
“It wasn’t too violent. Violence – I can cover it. If someone gets shot, I can photograph it where a head explodes and have a hard R, and it’s not going to alienate people. That’s easy. That’s filmmaker 101. I created this rich, soulful journey through the drug trade, and kind of what it is. The studio just wanted something more… fun.”
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David Ayer & Universal Wanted Different Things From the Scarface Remake
Director Luca Guadagnino walked awayfrom the latest version of theScarfaceremake just last month, with the studio seemingly struggling to find the right direction for the project. An issue that came up when Ayer was in discussions with Universal.
“Scarface is its biggest IP behind Jurassic Park. They want to capture as big of an audience as possible. I f—ing love Universal. Amazing people. I had this really honest conversation about the movie they wish they had, and the movie that I wished to make. There’s a lot of daylight between us. It’s just easier to be like, ‘Let’s park this.'”
Ayer will next team up withaction icon Jason Statham forThe Beekeeper. Working from a script written by Kurt Wimmer,The Beekeeperfollows Statham as the mysterious Mr.Clay, who sets off on a mission of vengeance when his friend and neighbor dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam. Unfortunately for the organization (but fortunately for the the audience) Mr. Clay is the former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers.”
Starring Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad and Jeremy Irons alongside The Stath,The Beekeeperis due for release on July 21, 2025. Check out the trailer below:
