Joe Carnahan Exits 'Death Wish,' Studio Wants Bruce Willis To Star

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by Kevin Jagernauth
February 22, 2013 6:19 PM
7 Comments

The remake of "Death Wish" is an interesting prospect, particularly with Joe Carnahan at the helm, who signed up just over a year ago. The original, a distinct B-movie, but one a bit more accomplished than most, still resonates today with its vigilante theme and big guns dispensing justice. And Carnahan, whose movies are pumped through with testosterone, was an interesting choice to take it on, but he has now moved on over the standard tune of "creative differences."

Deadline reports that the director and Paramount/MGM came at loggerheads over casting, with the studios wanting Bruce Willis and Carnahan eager to go in a different direction. And we gotta side with Carnahan here. Willis is the guy you choose if you want to make the most obvious version of this movie possible, and it's also wrongheaded. The entire point of "Death Wish" is that it centers on an ordinary man pushed to the brink. We just saw Willis swinging outside of helicopters in "A Good Day To Die Hard." He comes saddled with an action movie persona, and would bring a wrong feel to the endeavor. Just our opinion, anyway.

Given his frequent Twitter presence, we presume Carnahan will have something to say about this soon enough. No word yet if the studio will keep this script and just find someone else to shoot it or start over. Who do you think could take the chair of "Death Wish" and do it justice? Tell us below.

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More: Death Wish, Joe Carnahan, Bruce Willis

7 Comments

| Reply
goldfarb | February 23, 2013 9:22 PMReply

should be Jeff Goldblum...a nice callback to his role in the original.
Betty | February 23, 2013 10:32 AMReply

I think Woody Allen, so long as he casts himself in the lead, is now the only choice.
triguous | February 23, 2013 1:50 AMReply

Bruce Willis isn't bringing any life to his roles anymore. He just seems bored.
DHE | February 22, 2013 7:19 PMReply

Frank Grillo should play the lead not Willis.
yaydoh | February 22, 2013 10:14 PM

is that you joe?
Chris | February 22, 2013 6:33 PMReply

Has there been one project Carnahan has not had creative differences on? Always something with this guy. Liked the Grey though.
Stephen B | February 22, 2013 6:24 PMReply

The studio apparently hasn't seen or read Death Wish, but have almost certainly seen Death Wish 3.