Robert Downey Jr to star in remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ written by ‘Peaky Blinders’ fame Steven Knight

The original 1958 film revolves around the plot of a former police detective who gets forced into retirement after suffering trauma in line of duty
UPDATED MAR 24, 2023
Robert Downey Jr will star as the lead in Alfred Hitchcock's classic 'Vertigo' (Instagram/@robertdowneyjr, IMDb)
Robert Downey Jr will star as the lead in Alfred Hitchcock's classic 'Vertigo' (Instagram/@robertdowneyjr, IMDb)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Remakes of old classic movies into modern cinema change not only the plot but also invites a different generational perspective. A classic old tale of Alfred Hitchcock's best 'Vertigo' will whiff the air of the modern world soon with Paramount Pictures. And the biggest name in Hollywood will grace the screen as the lead of the story. Robert Downey Jr seems to be eyeing the role of James Stewart in the original film.

Paramount was the production company that created Hitchcock's 1958 American psychological thriller film and the same production will create the modern reboot of the film, with the original film having been adapted by Alec Coppel and Samuel A Taylor from the Boileau-Narcejac novel 'D’entre les morts' (From Among the Dead). Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to a remake of the Hitchcock-directed thriller from 1958. 

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Two industry genius'

Steven Knight is set to write and give a modernized twist to the 1958 story of the movie 'Vertigo'. Knight is known for many acclaimed projects like Cillian Murphy's 'Peaky Blinders' and has also recently signed up to write a new 'Star Wars' film for Disney and Lucasfilm. On the other hand, Robert Downey Jr. is a name in itself and is best known for his role as Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the Marvel Studios franchise 'Iron Man.' Downey Jr is also a two-time Academy Award-nominated actor following his work in 'Chaplin' and 'Tropic Thunder.' When these two virtuoso' come together, the project is surely going to be a modern day classic. 

What was 1958 'Vertigo' about?

James Stewart and Kim Novak in 'Vertigo (1958)' (IMDb)
James Stewart and Kim Novak in 'Vertigo (1958)' (IMDb)

The original 1958 film revolves around the plot of a former police detective who gets forced into retirement after suffering trauma in the line of duty. After the traumatic experience, the detective is left with a crippling fear of heights and a case of vertigo. After the detective sets into retirement, he is asked for help from a friend, whose wife's behavior becomes the point of causing concern to the man. The film was the first to use Dolly Zoom as a way of filming. A dolly zoom is an in-camera effect that appears to undermine normal visual perception. On its release, the movie met with much perplexed criticisms and was titled as overly long and containing too many irrelevant details. But, when the movie was seen by the newer generation, it was titled a cinematic great and considered a classic and is now deemed as one of the greatest films of all time. 

Keep an eye on this space for more details about this project. 

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