David Fincher Cult Classic Thriller Getting TV Remake From Scream Creator

Nearly 30 years after the original movie hit theaters, David Fincher’s The Game is getting a TV remake. The 1997 thriller revolved around Michael Douglas’ Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy investment banker who is invited by his estranged brother to take part in a mysterious game, resulting in a deadly web of paranoia and dark secrets being unearthed. Also starring Sean Penn and Deborah Kara Unger, the movie was considered a box office disappointment in comparison to Fincher’s immediate predecessor Se7en, but scored strong reviews and has garnered a cult following since.

Deadline has brought word that Scream creator Kevin Williamson has inked a major new deal with Universal Television to develop a number of projects for the studio. One such project revealed to be in the works is a TV remake of The Game, which he is said to be developing alongside the original movie’s writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris. Unlike his other projects, it’s only stated that The Game is in “internal development“, not currently having a set platform or writing team.

Why A Modern Take On The Game Can Be More Terrifying

Despite holding a cult following 27 years later, Fincher has, interestingly, been largely critical of his work on The Game, even going so far as to agree with his wife/producer Ceán Chaffin that he shouldn’t have made the movie at all. The three-time Oscar nominee largely pointed towards the movie’s third act as being his biggest issue with it, feeling it was better to keep the intense pacing going. While fans of the movie may feel differently about Fincher’s retrospective thoughts, how The Game‘s ending fits into the movie’s ultimate themes is why it’s perfect for a modern retelling.

Much like Charles Dickens’ iconic A Christmas Carol, the movie put audiences with a character who, despite his vain personality, was compelling to watch thanks to his sense of isolation. As technology has become more prominent in the years since Fincher’s movie came out, this feeling has only grown in viewers as the world has simultaneously expanded and shrunk with social media and the internet. As such, modern society would be rife with a timely exploration of the themes from the original, something even seen in Fincher’s most recent effort, The Killer.

Moreover, said innovations in technology would make an updated version of The Game all the more terrifying with how it can be used against the central character as the events unfold. Between the ability to completely alter someone’s life to raising their paranoia as to being watched by everything from security cameras to anyone’s smartphone, the stakes could easily be raised for the TV show to capitalize on the suspenseful potential of its source material. With Williamson himself having success in these themes with the Scream franchise, his attachment to the Game remake proves a promising sign.

Source: Deadline