Could Harry Potter director David Yates be the man to remake Scarface?

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

First you get da money. Den, you get da remake.

Universal has been gestating a remake of SCARFACE for a while now, developing it "quietly" so as not to enrage a fanbase that worships both the 1932 original or the 1983 remake, directed by Brian DePalma. So, just where are they in the process of developing a new iteration? According to Deadline, they're very close:

“Universal has been through a couple of drafts and now is very high on the current draft. The first stop is the director. This is before any conversations on talent or timing.”

The director the studio is courting at the moment is none other than David Yates, who helmed the final four HARRY POTTER films and is currently shooting ST. NAZAIRE, a British WWII film. Prior to POTTER, Yates was a fairly prolific TV director, but burst onto the scene with his strong, epic-scope style with the famous franchise. One could say that he'd be able to "write his own ticket" at this point.

Script details of the new SCARFACE are unknown, but one can expect a "fresh" take that will likely be a contemporary-set film with some sort of angle, as was the case for DePalma's version, which turned a Chicago bootlegger into a Cuban drug dealer. Personally, I think Yates could handle the gig, although I'd much rather see his talents back in the franchise department, where his skills are best utilized. However, after spending five years in POTTER-land, I'm sure he's looking for a change of pace.

Do you think Yates would be up to task for a SCARFACE remake? If not him, then who?