Warner Bros. has secured a director for its highly anticipated remake of "The Bodyguard." Sam Wrench, who masterminded the visually stunning 2023 concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour," has signed on to helm this new interpretation of the iconic 1992 dramatic film that starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. As of now, casting details remain under wraps.
Penning the script is Jonathan Abrams, whose credits include last year's studio hit "Juror #2," directed by Clint Eastwood. Matthew Lopez had previously crafted an earlier version of the screenplay for this long-in-the-works remake, which has been in various stages of development since 2011.
"The Bodyguard" revolves around a former Secret Service agent (Costner) tasked with safeguarding a renowned celebrity (Houston) from a relentless stalker. Houston's cinematic debut marked a colossal success, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1992 worldwide. The movie garnered two Oscar nominations and featured Houston's cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which achieved global acclaim and earned the late pop star a Grammy Award.
Mick Jackson directed the 1992 original from a script penned by Lawrence Kasdan. A stage adaptation of "The Bodyguard" premiered on London's West End in 2012. Wrench's resume boasts credits such as "A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter," which charmed audiences during last year's holiday season on Netflix.
In his review for "The Hollywood Reporter," critic Duane Byrge observed that while the original film "occasionally stumbled over tonal inconsistencies," it was "punctuated by zesty moments and propelled by Houston's mesmerizing performances, executed with sheer opulence."
