I'm actually quite happy that Nicolas Winding Refn is no longer directing a new adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or rather I'm happy that the film is no longer in production, for I fear that it could not hold a candle to the BBC television adaptation in 2007 which transformed the character and the story so well. Especially since the film version was to lead with Keanu Reeves.

I am a little sad for the news of The Dying of the Light, however similar to previous film and television projects it sounds on premise, it's still a great premise, and I thought it offered Harrison Ford a chance to do something a little different and a little meatier.

Word came just the other day that with the news that Nicolas Winding Refn concentrating on his next project, the film Drive previously to be directed by Neil Marshall, and then it was revealed that Refn would have to drop out of both Jekyll and The Dying of the Light, however Refn is now saying that both these projects are dead.

Speaking about The Dying of the Light through Empire and The Playlist he says:

”Unfortunately, it just didn't work out...It's a shame. The script was fantastic but things fall apart. It's one of those things that's difficult -- I really like Harrison and I think we got along great.”

It was The Playlist who first had the story that Refn was off both films, but this story suggests that both films are dead. Not so, it just seems that they are dead to Refn and that they could well move forward with another director. I hope that's not the case for Jekyll, for the BBC reinvention of the series, also called Jekyll, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon and Matt Lipsley was superb and should be making it's way to film.

More than that though, I just couldn't imagine Keanu Reeves giving an emotional performance in this role, really I couldn't.

The Dying of the Light though sounded much more interesting. The script was by Paul Schrader and was set to star Harrison Ford, and told the story of a CIA agent who was struggling to complete his final mission as he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and is fighting back the effects.

Okay, so it did sound like the Clive Owen BBC series Second Sight and had a strong resemblance to a foreign film that I still can't remember and is driving me nuts, about an older policeman investigating a crime and losing his mind, however it did sound a great project.

I would much rather that another director was found for this film than for Jekyll, wouldn't you?