Summary
- Glen Powell is staying busy with upcoming projects, including a remake of
Heaven Can Wait. - The remake, under Paramount Pictures, will be penned by Stephen Gaghan, based on Harry Segall’s play.
- The original film, starring Warren Beatty, was a critical and commercial success, grossing $81.6 million.
Glen Powell is continuing his upward trend of being one of the busiest leading men in Hollywood. Since his supporting turn in Top Gun: Maverick, Powell has stacked up roles in several major projects, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Following his involvement in the reboot of The Running Man, the actor is adding another remake to his list of upcoming projects.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Powell is set to star in a remake of Heaven Can Wait, which is in the early development stages at Paramount Pictures. Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his 2000 crime film Traffic, is taking on writing duties on the project, which is based on Harry Segall’s play of the same name.
The Original Heaven Can Wait Was Nominated For Nine Academy Awards
Heaven Can Wait has been adapted on more than one occasion, most notably with Warren Beatty in 1978. Beatty co-directed the film with Buck Henry, from a screenplay Beatty co-wrote with Elaine May. In the film, Beatty plays a young man and Los Angeles Rams quarterback who is mistakenly taken to heaven by his guardian angel before he was meant to die. Things become complicated when he returns to life in the body of a recently murdered millionaire. The film also stars Julie Christie, James Mason, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Vincent Gardenia, and Jack Warden. The new version reportedly won’t be a straight remake as Powell’s character won’t be a football player, but will involve the same concept of being called away before your time.
The original film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, with Beatty becoming the second person in history (after Orson Welles for Citizen Kane), to be nominated for producing (Best Picture), directing (Best Director with Buck Henry), writing (Best Adapted Screenplay with Elaine May), and acting (Best Actor) for the same film. The movie ultimately took home the Oscar for Best Art Direction. The film was also a box office hit, grossing $81.6 million on a $6 million budget.
Glen Powell’s Mother & Father Hilariously Troll Their Son in Wacky Photo from Hit Man Debut
Check out Glen Powell’s parents having a little fun at their son’s expense during the premiere of Hit Man in Austin via a hilarious pic.
Segall’s play of the same name was previously adapted for the screen in 1941 as Here Comes Mr. Jordan, in which the main character was a boxer, and in the 2001 comedy Down to Earth, in which Chris Rock was featured in the lead role as a comedian.
To say that Powell has been busy is a vast understatement. Following the success of Anyone But You, which grossed $219.5 million globally, Powell has been attached to many upcoming roles. This summer he will be seen in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man for Netflix and in Universal Pictures’ disaster movie sequel, Twisters. His other upcoming projects include the revenge tale Huntington, the remake of The Running Man, which is set to be directed by Edgar Wright, and a new film from J.J. Abrams which is currently shrouded in mystery.
