David Ayer Steps Down from Directing ‘Scarface’ Remake

Some remakes just aren’t meant to be, even if Hollywood keeps on trying anyway. The upcoming Scarface remake, based on the 1983 classic starring Al Pacino, appears to be one of them, with Universal Pictures struggling to secure a director willing to remain on board with their project. Having gone through big names like Antoine Fuqua (Southpaw) and David Yates (Harry Potter franchise), the studio attempted to revamp the film again by hiring David Ayer (Fury, Suicide Squad) this spring. Ayer was slated to not only direct the film, but also produce its script, something that could have worked in Universal’s favor given the director’s previous work on films such as Training Day and End of Watch.

Unfortunately, it appears that Universal is back at square one again, this time for some rather peculiar reason. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ayer has dropped off the film on account of his script being “too dark” for the studio’s taste. One would think that for a story centered around Tony Montana, a ruthless mobster and drug lord, darkness would be the way to go. The film is, after all, a tragic and twisted take on the American Dream, in which a non-American immigrant builds his success from the ground up, only to see his empire crumble. If Universal is considering toning down the darkness and violence for their remake, it would be a decision I highly advise against.

Despite this setback, Scarface still appears to have its remaining players on board, with actor Diego Luna still set to play the lead role. Dylan Clark is also set to produce the film alongside Martin Bergman, who served as producer for the 1983 Scarface. Whether Universal goes back to their previous choices for director or secure someone completely new remains unknown at the moment. As for Ayer, he is currently wrapping up post-production for the upcoming Netflix film Bright, starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton. Ayer will also reuniting with Margot Robbie for the DCEU spin-off Gotham City Sirens, though it is unlikely he will direct the sequel to Suicide Squad.