Get Hard Director Lends New Lease Of Life To The Cannonball Run Remake

Get Hard director Etan Cohen will direct the long-gestating The Cannonball Run remake, according to Deadline.

Warner Bros. has acquired the rights for the property, citing that the new interpretation isn’t being viewed as an out-and-out remake; rather, Warner is hoping to relaunch the “Cannonball sea to shining sea memorial trophy race” that played out across the 80s comedy flick and its two sequels, Cannonball Run 2 and Speed Zone. Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dom DeLuise were just some of the stars that featured across the cult comedy series.

Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Men in Black 3) will take point to write and direct the modern rendition of The Cannonball Run, flanked by Andre Morgan, Alan Gasmer (Vikings) and Jesse Ehrman who are attached to produce.

Indeed, this isn’t the first time that a potential do-over of The Cannonball Run has flirted with production; in 2011, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. director Guy Ritchie was circling the project, eyeing a stellar cast that included George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Alas, those deals fell through before anything could be set in stone,

Etan Cohen will get behind the wheel of Warner’s illegal cross-country race, and though the “re-launch” is still in the early stages, the next check box on the studio’s list for The Cannonball Run will be locating a preliminary cast.