Besides giving the first look at the film, director Eli Roth says, 'I wanted to bring back that great, classic Bruce Willis we all know and love and just do a fun, badass update of a revered classic.'
- August 3, 2017
AceShowbiz -
First look at Bruce Willis in "Death Wish" remake has arrived in the form of photos. Making their way out online via Yahoo! Movies, the photos show Willis as Paul Kersey, who was made famous by Charles Bronson in the original "Death Wish" film series.
While Charles' Paul Kersey was a New York City architect, Bruce's is a Chicago surgeon in the upcoming remake. Both characters are mild-mannered fathers who are transformed into vigilantes after their respective families are torn apart following a home invasion.
In one of the first-look pics, Bruce's Paul can be seen pointing at something off the camera while making sort of a displeased-looking face. Vincent D'Onofrio, who portrays Paul's brother Frank in the upcoming action flick, is shown in another photo standing next to Paul.
Speaking to Yahoo! Movies, director Eli Roth revealed, "We wanted to bring back that great, classic Bruce Willis we all know and love and just do a fun, badass update of a revered classic." The helmer said that he "wanted to bring Bruce back to that 'Fifth Element', 'Unbreakable', 'Die Hard' glory and have him craft another iconic performance, and I really think he did it."
"I mean I really think this can be his 'Taken'," the helmer added. "The fun is watching him go crazy and watching someone slowly move the moral goal post." He went on explaining, "What's interesting about 'Death Wish' is it's not a CIA guy who's coming out of retirement, you know, he's not John Wick, he's not a professional assassin."
"He's a normal guy, he's a surgeon, he's a dad, he's never picked up a gun in his life," Eli noted. "And with each kill as he gets closer to finding the people that did this to his family, he gains a new skill. He gets better and better and better. So by the end of the film he's really much closer to John McClane... The very things that make him a good surgeon are what eventually make him a great killer."
Rated R, the "Death Wish" remake is set for a November 22 release in the United States. Co-written by Eli and Joe Carnahan ("The A-Team"), the action flick also stars Dean Norris, Kimberly Elise and Mike Epps among others.
