Russel Brand is sure getting his name out there, and most recently he is attached to a remake of Drop Dead Fred. The story of a woman and her childhood imaginary friend from the early 90s will be updated.
The 1991 original starred Phoebe Cates as a wallflower who loses her job and husband during the course of a lunch hour. Forced to live back home, she’s reunited with her childhood imaginary friend (Brit actor Rik Mayall), who promises to help but causes more havoc.
The trade says the take for the update is to make a film in the tone of Beetlejuice, building a universe around the concept of imaginary friends. Brand would play the trouble-making pal.
Now we get to play the “Remake Game” and compare this to our list of our extensive but in no way absolute 4 Rules Before Making a Remake!
1) The original has to have a good story I loved the original Drop Dead Fred. It was a heartwarming story that appeals to the inner child in all grown ups – that tug back to a simpler time when it was OK to have an imaginary friend, and seeing the two worlds collide. Yes, the story is a good one and well worth repeating.
2) Majority of current audience hasn’t seen the original Ask anyone about this movie. Go now and ask “Have you seen Drop Dead Fred” and I guarantee the reaction will almost entirely be the same. Slight pause, glancing up and to the right, then a moment of recognition and a “Yeah I remember that” and at best people will think Carrot Top was Fred. This movie might still be on a vague radar ping, but most people haven’t seen the original, or if they have, its been so long that it doesn’t matter.
3) Original has to be at least 20 years old This year will be 18, so by the time its made it might be. Or damned close.
4) The story would benefit from a modern telling This is the pants kicker for me. I don’t think it would BENEFIT from a modern retelling. Aside from the fashion sence that said bold busy patterns and padded shoulders were in, this movie will pretty much be the same if told in a modern retelling. I do like that they want to hit up a broader concept that imaginary friends come from a parellel existance and have “rules” and such, but that too was touched on in the original.
So my verdict is that I wouldn’t mind seeing Drop Dead Fred remade. Of course my sway has a lot more to do with seeing Russell Brand just OWN a role where he plays a silly imaginary friend that leads our main character into crazy hijinks, but it just makes sense to me.
Brand is one of those guys you either love or hate, but for this type of role, I could barely imagine anyone BUT him doing it.
