In March 2023 it was announced that an Alfred Hitchcock remake will soon be in the works, as the rights to his 1958 film Vertigo have been acquired. Acclaimed actor Robert Downey Jr. is said to be eyeing the lead role.
Hitchcock’s Vertigo was originally released in 1958
Based on the 1954 novel by Boileau-Narcejac, D’entre les morts, Hitchcock’s Vertigo was originally released in 1958. At the time, the film received mixed reviews, with some feeling as though it was too drawn out and lengthy. However, nowadays Vertigo is seen as a classic and many believe it’s one of the greatest films of all time.
The film stars actor James Stewart as a former police detective forced into retirement following an incident in the line of duty that caused him to develop acrophobia, a fear of heights. As the title suggests, it caused him to develop a serious case of vertigo as well. The character, John “Scottie” Ferguson, is hired as a private investigator to follow a man’s wife, who is behaving erratically.
Vertigo marks the first time the dolly zoom was used in film, and as such, the effect has often been referred to as “the Vertigo effect.” The dolly zoom is an in-camera effect that creates a disorientation meant to express Scottie’s acrophobia.
Robert Downey Jr. is co-producing
Paramount Pictures is the studio that acquired the film rights. The Hitchcock Estate was happy to have the original studio take on the new project. Steven Knight, known for his work on Peaky Blinders and See, will be writing the script for the film.
Robert Downey Jr. is best known for his portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but has been acting for over 50 years. Downey’s production company, Team Downey, is set to produce the film along with Davis Entertainment’s John Davis and John Fox.
This is not the first Hitchcock film to get a remake
As ambitious as taking on a Hitchcock film remake project may sound, this is not the first time it’s been done. In fact, the Vertigo already has a remake in the form of Brian De Palma’s 1976 film, Obsession. Other titles from Hitchcock’s vast library have also seen remakes.
More from us: The Heartfelt Letter Jimmy Stewart’s Father Wrote Him When He Left for WWII
One of Hitchcock’s most famous films, Psycho (1960) saw a remake in Gus Van Sant’s 1998 film of the same name, starring Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. Additionally, Dial M for Murder (1954) saw a remake in the form of The Perfect Murder (1998), starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow.