Inconceivably, They're Threatening To Remake 'The Princess Bride'
In this era where IP is king, even the most sacrosanct of movies might be considered for a remake. I'm talking, of course, about The Princess Bride. Rob Reiner and William Goldman's beloved 1987 fantasy-adventure film is a stone-cold classic, one that nearly every generation has seen and loved (and if they haven't, they really should). And yet even this classic is being considered for a remake. The CEO of Sony Pictures has suggested that a The Princess Bride remake is in discussions with several "very famous people" interested in redoing the film based on the satirical novel by Goldman.
Buried deep within a Variety profile on legendary TV producer Norman Lear is the tidbit that The Princess Bride remake is reportedly in discussions. The news comes from Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra, who casually told the outlet:
"We have so many people coming to us saying, 'We want to remake this show or that show. Very famous people whose names I won't use, but they want to redo 'The Princess Bride.
Well throw us in the pit of despair and call us Sally. Lear had produced the original 1987 The Princess Bride, which starred Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, and Christopher Guest. But there is no mention in this profile whether he would be involved in this potential remake, or even that he is one of the people who want to redo this perfect film. Not that his involvement would make a potential remake go down easier — like I said before, The Princess Bride is sacred ground upon which no studio should dare tread, for fear of tainting a classic. A satirical comedy, a sweeping romance, and a swashbuckling adventure movie all in one, The Princess Bride is loaded with rapier-sharp dialogue and an abundance of different genres and tones that in any hands, other than Reiner and Goldman's, would be impossible to juggle.
But the person who may have had the best response to a potential The Princess Bride remake was none other than Westley himself.
There's a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one. https://t.co/5N8Q3P2e5G
— Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 18, 2019
It should be noted for now that there is no concrete confirmation that a remake is in the works. But judging by the backlash at the mere rumor from both the original cast and the internet at large, it is nice to know that the one thing we can all be united in is declaring a Princess Bride remake inconceivable.