It’s been five years since the project was first announced, but the latest remake of The Thomas Crown Affair is finally moving forward, with Michael B. Jordan still attached to play the title role. The actor is now taking a producorial credit as well through his Outlier Society banner, while Joe and Anthony Russo remain on board through their AGBO outfit.
In the first major update for half a decade, Wes Tooke has signed on to write the screenplay, and the crime thriller is being viewed as a high priority project for MGM given Jordan’s status as one of the industry’s brightest young talents, along with the name value the Russos bring with them from their time as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Interestingly, having recently been purchased by Amazon, there’s every chance The Thomas Crown Affair could end up as a major streaming exclusive, looking at the company’s newfound desire to branch out into blockbuster territory. Jordan has previous with both the platform and the studio involved, having seen Amazon acquire Tom Clancy adaptation Without Remorse from Paramount, while he’s set to make his directorial debut on MGM’s Creed III, which is penciled in to hit theaters in November of next year.
The 1968 original starred Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, with Die Hard‘s John McTiernan helming the first remake 30 years later that saw Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo inherit the main roles. Jordan has charisma for days, so it’s not difficult to imagine him headlining a slick and stylish romantic caper like The Thomas Crown Affair, and with a writer now in place, a director and female lead will be next on the agenda.
