The studio will develop the remake of espionage thriller 'The Saint' centering on Simon Templar, a professional thief under various aliases.
- Jun 18, 2016
AceShowbiz - Paramount Pictures will remake "The Saint". The 1997 film was based on the espionage thriller book series by Leslie Charteris which ran from 1923 to 1963. According to Deadline, the studio has secured the book series rights.
The studio is reportedly closing production deals now, with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brad Krevoy and Robert Evans likely to produce the film. If the deal is closed, the studio will have another franchise in development. di Bonaventura also helped launch the "Transformers", "G.I. Joe" and "Red" franchises for the studio. As for Evans, he is known as the studio executive from 1967 to 1974, overseeing "The Godfather", "Love Story" and "Rosemary's Baby".
There is no additional information on who might be the screenwriter, the director or even the star for "The Saint" remake. As for the 1997 film, it starred Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue, and was directed by Philip Noyce.
The story follows Simon Templar, a professional thief and master of disguise that becomes the anti-hero while using the moniker of various saints while paradoxically living in the underworld of international industrial theft. He goes after corrupt politicians, war profiteers and drug runners to benefit his country.
The character has been featured in a series of Hollywood movies made between 1938 and 1954, a popular British TV series of the 1960s which starred Roger Moore and the 1970s series starring Ian Ogilvy.
