MOVIE NEWS – Ethan Hawke is making a return to the Western genre. According to an exclusive report from Deadline, the actor is in early talks to co-write and produce a reimagining of The Gunfighter, a 1950 classic. The film is still in the development stage, and for now, Hawke is only confirmed to co-write the script alongside Shelby Gaines. However, there’s a strong chance that he might also step into the director’s chair. This wouldn’t be his first foray into remaking a Western, either.

The original Gunfighter follows aging gunslinger Jimmy Ringo (Gregory Peck) as he struggles to escape his violent reputation while yearning to reunite with his wife (Helen Westcott) and the son he never knew. The film’s realistic portrayal of frontier lawlessness and the long-lasting consequences of a gunslinger’s life made it a defining classic in the genre. With Hawke attached, the project is likely to bring new depth and gravitas to the material.

Hawke previously starred in the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven, directed by Antoine Fuqua, alongside Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Vincent D’Onofrio. While it’s not yet confirmed whether he will direct The Gunfighter, his experience behind the camera, including 2023’s Wildcat, a Flannery O’Connor biopic co-written with Gaines, makes him a strong candidate.

Could The Gunfighter Become a Modern Classic?

As a dedicated cinephile, Ethan Hawke has long expressed admiration for The Gunfighter. Well before this project was reported, he discussed his love for the film in an interview on TCM’s Two for One, calling it “the best Western that nobody knows.” He originally discovered the film through his longtime collaborator Richard Linklater, and his passion for the story suggests he’s the right person to reintroduce it to a new audience.

While Deadline’s report does not mention Hawke taking on a role in the film, it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to act in it as well. Hawke has long followed in the footsteps of filmmakers like Clint Eastwood, who famously directed, produced, and starred in films like Unforgiven (1992). The original Gunfighter starred Gregory Peck at age 34, but the character could easily be aged up in a reimagining, emphasizing the weight of a gunfighter’s past catching up with him.

Set to be distributed by 20th Century Studios, the film could be exactly what the Western genre needs to revitalize itself. Hawke has spoken in the past about wanting to breathe new life into Westerns and has previously starred in Ti West’s In a Valley of Violence (2016). His career, which ranges from Marvel’s Moon Knight to Linklater’s Before Trilogy, proves he has the storytelling skills to craft a Gunfighter remake worthy of its predecessor.

Source: Deadline