Eli Roth’s remake ofDeath Wishhas added yet another veteran actor to its cast. ComedianMike Eppshas joined the movie as Dr. Chris Salgadoa, a friend toBruce Willis, who is playing Paul Kersey, the lead in the movie. It seems as though he will be playing a character that didn’t appear in the original 1974Death Wishmovie.
Deadlinebroke the news thatMike Eppswill be joining the remake, which appears to be getting closer to production as they have recently added a lot more talent to the cast.Vincent D’OnofrioandDean Norrisalso recently joinedDeath Wish. The project finally got going when directorEli Rothcame aboard along withBruce Willis, playing a role originally portrayed byCharles Bronson. Prior to boardingDeath Wish,Eli Rothhad been attached to direct the giant shark movieMeg, but he exited the project and found his way to this vigilante thriller.
The story ofDeath Wish, which is based on the 1972 novel of the same name byBrian Garfield, follows nice a mild-mannered New York City architectPaul Kersey, who snaps after intruders break into his home, murdering his wife and violently raping his daughter. A business trip following the incident lands him a gift from a client; a revolver he uses to patrol the streets when he returns home. Frustrated that the police cannot find the intruders, he becomes avigilante, gunning down any criminal that crosses his path. The public finds this vigilantism heroic.
The original 1974Death Wishwas a fairly big hit for Paramount at the time, having grossed $22 million on an estimated $3 million budget. The movie spawned four sequels, starting withDeath Wish IIin 1982, followed byDeath Wish 3in 1985, thenDeath Wish 4: The Crackdownin 1987, eventually culminating withDeath Wish V: The Face of Deathin 1994. The series, specifically the original, has been criticized for their over-the-top depiction of violence and vigilantism. GivenEli Roth’s sensibilities, it is unlikely that this new version will skimp on the violence. The director is no stranger to controversial movies, but word is that Paramount and MGM are hoping for this to be more of a straightforwardaction franchise, which would make sense given the casting ofBruce Willis.
Eli Rothhas mostly been known for making rather gory horror movies, such asHostelandThe Green Inferno, which payed homage to the cult horror movieCannibal Holocaust. MGM and Paramount have been wanting to get this remake ofDeath Wishoff the ground for quite some time, but it seems like things have finally aligned and the movie is slated to come out sometime next year. Given the success of recent remakes likeThe Magnificent Seven, Paramount and MGM are hoping they have a potential hit on their hands.Eli Rothwill be directing from a script written byScott Alexander&Larry Karaszewski.
