Rupert Wyatt is setting up shop over at Paramount Pictures to bring a new version of the classic 1974 movie THE GAMBLER to the big screen, and Mark Wahlberg could play the role made famous by James Caan in the hugely acclaimed original. The film was all set to roll with THE HANGOVER helmer Todd Phillips on directing duties, with Leonardo DiCaprio in front of the camera, but that set up didn’t happed, hence today’s news of a new filmmaking team involved.
The original revolved around a literature professor with a gambling problem who runs into trouble with some local gangsters. William Monahan wrote the script for the new version.
Variety reports that a deal is not 100% in place as yet for Wyatt and Wahlberg, though it looks promising.
Wahlberg is currently shooting TRANSFORMERS 4: AGE OF EXTINCTION, also for Paramount, while Wyatt is said to be deciding as to whether to take up another project he’s eyeing at Fox, the studio that he delivered last year’s RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES to (to much acclaim).
Source: Variety
