Scarface remake will be shocking and R-rated

Universal Pictures has been trying to get a new Scarface remake off the ground for years, but it now appears as though the studio is willing to go an interesting route rather than an expected one. Luca Guadagnino, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind lush films like Call Me By Your Name and A Bigger Splash, is helming the latest remake of Scarface, is determined to make a hard R-rated movie that will shock audiences.

Speaking to Collider, Guadagnino has revealed that he is intent on making the remake as shocking as DePalma's 1982 version was upon release. Calling the character of Tony Montana an "archetype," Guadagnino says that evil characters like him are a "symptom" of the immigrant's need to achieve the American Dream. The director adds that his film will be a hard R-rated movie and that the script, which he calls great, is one that will lead to a film that is "shocking."

The Italian director seems to love courting controversy with his movies and certainly seems suited to directing Scarface. Just how shocking the film will be (and why) will have to be seen when the long-in-development movie is eventually released. But given that the Coen brothers, who are not known for shying away from realistic depictions of violence in their movies, are writing the script, fans can expect this remake not to hold back.

The 1982 version, directed by Brian DePalma, starred Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who quickly becomes the most powerful criminal in Miami. Scarface also starred Michelle Pfeiffer in a star-making turn as Montana's girlfriend turned reluctant trophy wife. Written by Oliver Stone, it was a blood-soaked, violent and shocking remake of the 1932 Howard Hawks film, and caused controversy upon its release.