The Big Chill Remake Looking to Heat Up the Box Office

Michael Fleming of Variety is reporting that Screen Gems (an American subsidiary of Sony Pictures) will be remaking the successful 1983 film "The Big Chill," to which they hold the rights, with a twist.

The original "Big Chill" written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan, was about a group of seven college friends who reunited some years later to attend a funeral of one their friends. The Big Chill featured an ensemble cast that included: Glen Close, William Hurt and Jeff Golblum, and inarguably helped launched their careers and those of the rest of the ensemble.

Grossing over 56 million dollars at the domestic box office according to The Numbers, the original 'Big Chill' was a cult favorite that tackled the issues of the midlife crisis, and the generation gap (among other things) in a funny if not tragic way while the friends spent the weekend together mourning and reminiscing in their own unique ways.

Screen Gems is known for targeting niche markets and the Big Chill remake is no exception.

According to Wikipedia, Screen Gems most successful movie to date was the horror-thriller, "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" that did over 144 million dollars worldwide according to Box Office Mojo.

The Screen Gems version is looking to update the script with an African-American cast and contemporize The Big Chill remake with current issues. Regina King (24, Year of the Dog) has signed on to both star and produce the film. Will Packer (Stomp the Yard) is attached to produce the project as a well.

Instead of targeting the baby boomer generation, the Big Chill remake is aimed at African-Americans and by extension- Generation X with the college chums having attended school together in the 1990's.

Variety is reporting that while Lawrence Kasdan will not be a part of the Big Chill remake, Screen Gems will attempt to follow his script as closely as possible while updating the original. Music is likely to be as big a part of the film as the Motown classics were in the 1983 version of the Big Chill.

How popular The Big Chill remake will be still remains to be seen. The film will likely need as talented a cast of African-American actors as the original had in order to have the box office draw of the original.

Variety is also reporting that Clint Culpepper the president of Screen Gems has set production of the Big Chill remake to begin by the end of this year.

Source: Michael Fleming, "Screen Gems to reheat 'Big Chill.'" Variety. URL: "http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117966817.html?categoryid=13&cs=1"

Source: "The Big Chill - Box Office Data, Cast Information - The Numbers." The Numbers. URL: "http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1983/0BGCH.php" June 13, 2007.

Source: "Screen Gems - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia. URL: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_Gems" June 13, 2007.

Source: "The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2003)." Box Office Mojo. Url: "http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=exorcismofemilyrose.htm" June 13, 2007.