Like it or not, Warner Bros. is remaking the classic Ray Harryhausen mythological epic Clash of the Titans and has finally signed a director. According to Daily Variety, the Herculean, or perhaps Sisyphusian task of updating the 1981 film will fall on Steve Norrington, whose previous directorial credits include Blade and the less well-received VFX-driven adaptation of the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The remake is slated to go into production next year for a 2010 release. Renowned filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan, who last pulled re-writing duty on 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, has been called in to doctor a script by Travis Beacham, who initially took a stab at re-imagining Beverly Cross’s original screenplay. Cross also wrote the Harryhausen favorites Jason and the Agronauts and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. Basil Iwanyk is producing the Clash remake through his Thunder Road shingle.
With its blatant attempts to appeal to Star Wars fans, Clash of the Titans isn’t everyone’s favorite film featuring the stop-motion visual effects genius of Ray Harryhausen, but nostalgia is strong since it’s the only one younger audiences recall seeing on the big screen. With its minor flaws, the move does boast performances by Sir Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Burgess Meredith, and the Medusa sequence remains one of the most revered visual effects feats in motion picture history.
