Here’s some more proof that the Kevin Hart Oscars controversy didn’t hurt Kevin Hart: The comedian and star’s next remake (after this winter’s French remake The Upside) will be no less than Scrooged. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Hart will update the 1988 Christmas classic, which itself was an update of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
The original starred — more of a staple of the holidays than any of the many straight Carol adaptations, including the classic from 1951 with Alastair Sims — a shaggy-haired Murray as not a miserly small business owner but the late 20th century equivalent: a wealthy and power-mad television executive. While producing a lavish, live TV adaptation of the Dickens classic he’s visited by three spirits, ranging from David Johansen to Carol Kane to a pretty spooky Ghost of Christmas Future, who remind him that he used to be nice guy in love with Karen Allen. (Mildly weird trivia: For some reason it was directed by the guy who helmed the Lethal Weapon movies.)
How closely will Hart’s Scrooged stick to this sacred text? We’d like to think Hart’s 21st century Scrooge stand-in would be a full-blown corporate guru à la Jeff Bezos or — even better — Elon Musk. Were he around today, Ebenezer Scrooge would definitely risk his wealth by getting high on a podcast with Joe Rogan.
(Via THR)
