If you’re going to direct the highest-grossing movies on the planet, you should get something for your trouble.Joe and Anthony Russoare looking at a post-Marvel life, and a lot of it has to do with their production company AGBO. While the brothers are already planning their next directorial effort, the dramaCherrystarring Tom Holland, they’ll also be doing a lot of work through AGBO. Deadline reports that AGBO has now partnered with MGM to produce a line of remakes based on IP owned by MGM.
Per Deadline, “The deal can extend to projects originated by AGBO, but the driving force behind this is that they will creatively steer the refurbishment of the classic library titles. The first film projects to be produced through the partnership includes a re-imagining ofThe Thomas Crown Affair, which long has hadMichael B. Jordanattached to star and produce through his Outlier Society banner.”
The Russos may end up directing the new version ofThe Thomas Crown Affair, but right now screenwriterMatthew Michael Carnahan(The Kingdom) will take another crack at the script.
ABGO is also eyeing remakes of the MGM propertiesThe Rats of Nimhthat will be a live-action/animation hybrid, and the original filmHacienda, which was written byAaron Berg(Section 6) and laterKrysty Wilson-Cairns(1917).
Joe Russo said of the deal:
“This deal reflects the fundamental tenets upon which AGBO was built: a storytelling driven studio designed to develop and produce a complex array of narrative in an ever-evolving landscape. Artist ownership is primary to our agenda, and we’ll be serving as partners on every film. It’s also an amazing opportunity for AGBO to work with MGM, which owns one of the greatest libraries in the world.”
Honestly, remakes are going to happen no matter what, and if MGM wants to mine their library for new versions of their movies, so be it. The Russos have inarguably earned their success by steering four massive blockbusters to critical and commercial acclaim, and if they want to take on a larger role overseeing a slate of movies via AGBO, so be it.
