Way back last year I wrote about a sequel to The Long Good Friday, and now more news has surfaced with the depressing word that not only has it turned into a remake, but that Paul W.S. Anderson is to write the script and that the action has moved to Miami.

Firstly I'm glad that it isn't continuing as a sequel, after all if you've seen the original you will realise there is no way a sequel could work. However I'm bitterly disappointed that they are remaking it and I'm far from sure that Paul W.S. Anderson can manage to bring the reality, style and characterisation to the new story.

However to be fair to him his remit is probably that of a gangster film with loads of action that loosely follows the ideas of betrayal from the original film...and perhaps takes place on a Good Friday weekend.

Now I'm not sure how strong this is because there are no sources given with the Teletext story, but there is a direct quote from the man himself. Paul W.S. Anderson himself says:

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to put a new spin on this classic film which promises to reveal today's underworld in an equally shocking fashion."

This is going to have nothing to do with the original Long Good Friday. That was a classic film that really pulled on characters and had some superb scenes, as well as showing Bob Hoskins at his most out of control. Now it's being moved from London to Miami, and the whole idea of the IRA being involved in a war against London gangs is gone, it's going to be more Miami Vice than anything.

I guess the only good part to this is that there's a US$25 million budget to be thrown at it. Still, it's not going to be the original and I just wish that they would stop remaking stories like this and just make brand new ones.