3:10 to Yuma (Filmstalker review) and Seraphim Falls are the ones to blame for today's news that the classic High Noon is to be remade. Perhaps it's more 3:10 to Yuma to blame as it is a remake as well as a modern day western.

High Noon is the classic from Director Fred Zinnemann starring Gary Cooper as the Marshal who decides to make a stand against the gang that are arriving at Noon to gun him down.

He turns to the townspeople for help, but they turn their backs and he wrestles with his conscience of running or staying. Grace Kelly and Lloyd Bridges also star in the film which is a classic in cinema, not just of the western genre.

The original was a great film that was pretty much played out in real time and built superb amounts of tension throughout, right up to the moment that the town clock strikes twelve and he strolls out into the street to take on the gang.

The characters are fantastic and you easily latch onto them and feel empathy for them, as well as feeling anger for the townspeople who don't stand up for their laws and their law man, plus Gary Cooper gives a blistering performance.

So it's bad news that The Hollywood Reporter through Empire announce, that the film is heading for a remake.

It seems as though the rights have been bought by the producer Mark Headley, the actor Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert, and Toni Convington who have just started a company called High Noon Productions. So guess what that's for then.

The rumour is that there's a script all ready for the remake as the Production company are saying that they hope to start filming early next year. Of course if there isn't a script in place then it means that they need to rush one out through the writer's strike, which would point very firmly at it being dire.

However if the calibre is kept high it wouldn't be beyond belief to expect a big budget and big star to be attached, after all 3:10 to Yuma was remade on the big scale and it returned, and Seraphim Falls doesn't exactly carry a talent light line up.

Could we see Gary Cooper replaced so easily in this classic western? Would you want to? For me the big question is if they can replicate the characters and the tension, or if they will try to simplify the tale too much.