Hollywood has a spotty track record when it comes to remaking beloved films, but it may have a hit on its hands this time. Digital Spy reports Anna Faris has joined the Overboard remake, but there's a twist — she won't be playing Goldie Hawn's wealthy amnesiac character, she will be playing the Kurt Russell role of the single dad, now a single mom. Given the inherent problematic nature of the original '80s film, no matter how much fun it was as a movie, this is a worthy upgrade to the tale.
Faris will be joined by Instructions Not Included star Eugenio Derbez, who will play the spoiled Mexican playboy who goes overboard, and wakes up with an insta-family. Russell and Hawn's chemistry in the original film was undeniable, but if anyone can match them its comedy powerhouses Faris and Derbez. While Derbez is still emerging as a star in American cinema, he was ranked by Vanity Fair as the most influential Hispanic man in the world in 2011.
Whether you adore the original movie or have never seen it, you have to admit this is an instance where gender-flipping roles only makes the premise more interesting. There will still be gender politics in play, but now instead of a man wielding power over a woman, it will be a woman grappling with her decision to string along a man who has no memory of who he truly is. At its heart, Overboard was always a love story — albeit a twisted one — and seeing how the story fares under modern scrutiny should make for a fascinating movie-going experience.
Hollywood has been struggling to make an Overboard remake happen for years, but it appears they have finally landed on the right stars and angle to make it work. In a statement MGM boss Jonathan Glickman told Digital Spy,
"The original Overboard was beloved and the only way to bring it back is to reinvent the story in a whole new way. Anna and Eugenio are two of the most charismatic forces in comedy whose take on the material will modernize the story for a whole new generation of moviegoers."
While there is no word yet on when the new Overboard will be released, I have a feeling this is one remake that will be worth the wait.
