Glen Powell Is Remaking An All-Time Classic Kurt Russell Movie

"Backdraft" is a deluxe dad movie. It's a dad movie with daddy issues wherein the un-dad protagonist attains maximum manhood by becoming his dad (and vindicating himself in the eyes of his brother, a dad who betrayed everything their dad held dear). That all these dads and potential dads are not just firemen, but Chicago firemen blasts this dad movie into the Daddysphere.

Now that a whole generation of moviegoers that grew up watching "Backdraft" with their dads are themself dads, it's time for Hollywood to tempt dad movie fate with a dad movie remake. Why are dad movie remakes such a perilous undertaking? Because dad movies only become dad movies by becoming couch worthy. This takes years of rewatches on casual Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And there are dad movie tiers. Some dad movies are bad movies that contain enough dad-friendly elements to justify the sit in a chore-less situation. Others are good enough to make a little nagging worth it.

"Backdraft" is an "I thought you were going to mow the lawn today" classic. It has breathtaking practical stunts, ill-advised heroism, an estranged wife, a one-that-got-away ex-girlfriend, and a sneer-worthy assortment of jagoff bosses and jagoff city officials who complicate an uncomplicated job.

Most importantly, it's got Kurt Russell.

And now Brian Grazer, who produced "Backdraft" with his Imagine Films Entertainment partner (and dad movie auteur) Ron Howard, is planning to remake it with emerging dad movie superstar Glen Powell. Are you sure you want this smoke, guys?

In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, Grazer, who's making the press rounds in support of the Powell-starring legacy-quel "Twisters" (which /Film's Jeremy Mathai quite enjoyed), revealed that a "Backdraft" remake is in the works. He didn't divulge any details other than Powell's involvement, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before an indie-film darling gets plopped in the director's chair à la Barry Jenkins, Chloe Zhao, or even "Twisters" helmer Lee Isaac Chung.

I do not envy anyone their task here. "Backdraft" isn't a sophisticated movie. The screenplay credited to Gregory Widen (a former firefighter) unabashedly traffics in the hoariest of clichés, and gets away with it because the set pieces are a thrillingly seamless blend of practical pyrotechnics and invisible optical f/x. CGI was still in its infancy when "Backdraft" hit theaters over Memorial Day weekend in 1991, so we knew Howard and cinematographer Mikael Solomon –- who, ironically, played a pivotal role in the advent of the CGI era as James Cameron's DP on "The Abyss" –- were literally playing with fire. It's just a dangerous looking movie –- especially with Russell's dad character rushing into burning buildings without a mask.

Hopefully, Grazer, Powell and the director-to-be-named-sooner-or-later will place a premium on practical action and not torch the memory of the original with ho-hum CG spectacle. But can they out-dad Howard's "Backdraft"? They probably shouldn't expect any help from Russell in this department. And Kurt's son Wyatt will likely pass as well.

Is the 35-year-old Powell ready for his dad-ification? He's clearly got the dad stuff. I'd just like to see him make his own dad classics rather than draw direct comparison to pantheon dads like Bill Paxton and Kurt Russell.