Disney seem to be intent on remaking all their properties, with Pete’s Dragon the latest one soon to be in cinemas, but I must confess I was surprised when Splash was the latest to be chosen, and even more surprised with the spin Disney are doing on it. The 1984 romantic comedy [which itself was inspired by Miranda and others] remains an enjoyable bit of fluff with some charm. It isn’t really the kind of film that’s often done well these days – if it’s done at all – but Disney are going to try. The original Tom Hanks/Daryl Hannah starrer was written by Brian Grazer and directed by Ron Howard. The two are apparently involved with this remake, though Maria Lewis-Ryan is writing the script which changes genders so that the story is now about a girl who falls in love with a merman. Gillian Bell is the girl and Channing Tatum, who played opposite Bell in 22 Jump Street the merman. No director yet.
I guess this could work….but I really hope that the dreadful [though not at all because it starred women] Ghostbusters remake isn’t going to lead to a wave of gender switching remakes.
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