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James Marsden to Star in Rod Lurie's Straw Dogs Remake

by Alex Billington
April 23, 2009

It was nearly two years ago this week that we first announced that Screen Gems' was remaking Straw Dogs. It has taken the last 18 months for the project to finally get off the ground. James Marsden will star as a Los Angeles screenwriter named David Sumner, who moves with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, leading to a violent confrontation. The original 1971 Straw Dogs was directed by Sam Peckinpah and stared Dustin Hoffman. This reimagining will be directed by Rod Lurie of the drama Nothing But the Truth most recently.

Marsden, who you may recognize as Cyclops from the X-Men series, Richard White in Superman Returns, Prince Edward in Enchanted, or Corny Collins in Hairspray, has been getting better and better the more I see him. I always thought he was just an asshole in X-Men, but later found out that he's an incredibly talented actor. Straw Dogs definitely seems like an odd change of pace for him, from his past few bright, cheerful films to something much darker. I'm not sure that too many people are that excited for this remake, but at least they have a very talented actor who will lead the way. We'll let you know who else they cast.

Explore tags: Casting, Movie News, Opinions

Fisherr

Marsden rocks, there is a good movie that he mad also Alex i am not sure if you saw this movie or not. A lot of people might this the movie is cheesy but i enjoyed every single bit of it and i am speaking from the "eye" It's called "Interstate 60" starring also Amy Smart and Gary Oldman. You should give it a shot and tell me what you think.
Meg

So with you on Marsden. I, too, thought he was "just an asshole" in X-Men until I saw him in other things and realized what a completely fantastic actor he is. Scott's supposed to be kind of an asshole... it's just Marsden being a great actor and not having a need for his character to be all starry and likeable. I haven't seen the original Straw Dogs, so I can't really comment... but basically? I'll go see anything starring Marsden.
viral

James Marsden an asshole? quite the contrary.... he's fantastic with whatever he does... i am excited for this movie... it will give him the chance to explore the darker side... you forgot 27 dresses though i bet a lot of people did.. also he was great in aly Mcbeal. thats where he got his break.
Nick

What in the fuck people? I don't give a shit who this James Marsden character is, this is Straw Dogs. Peckinpah is rolling over in his grave.
Todd

I sort of agree with Nick. Straw Dogs is a classic and the tone that Peckinpagh created distinguished it from similar thrillers involving an isolated couple tormented by intruders. This could very easily end up being a pathetic and shallow re-hashing of a very unique movie. Rather than re-create the unusual and uncompromising feel of the original, I can see this ending up like a horror movie (for example, The Strangers with Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler).
http://poptimal.com Cameron Cubbison

This is a travesty. I know, next let's remake Taxi Driver with Orlando Bloom!
Tedious Ted

What I want to know is, who is going to take the Susan George role from the original!
The Clapper

Give be a freakin' break. I can understand bringing back soemthing for which justice was not done the first time around, but this *new* trend to "reboot" films and ideas that were great the way they were orginally made is nothing more than producers and writers revealing that they truly *are* nothing more than no-talent ass clowns. (shakes head)
Squiggly

Wait wait... The director is also writing this. The guy has written nothing but mediocre to decent political dramas and directed a bunch of straight to DVD stuff, and for his big budget debut he wants to tackle a film directed by one of the best directors ever? And they fill Dustin Hoffman's shoes with friggin Cyclops? Don't get me wrong, Marsden might be versatile enough to pull off the role, he might just need something to sink his teeth into, but I don't think this guy is really going to be able to pull off directing this thing, let alone writing it. But I agree with The Clapper. Why the fuck would they remake something like this? I can't think of one reason why they should do that. If they want to get more money out of the story, why not remaster, reprint and re-release the original? Maybe clean up the audio a bit and re-mix it for modern technology. THAT I would go see. I would gladly go see any number of classic films in a restored format on the big screen. That would be friggin amazing. Imagine this, Ben Hur, Taxi Driver, On The Waterfront, or maybe some classic foreign films like Seven Samurai or La Strada.... Imagine being able to see any of those and countless others back on the big screen. I'd gladly pay to see any of those films in a theater, since I've never had the chance. Remakes are not ever as good as the original. You'd think they'd have figured that out by now.
scm1000

How can you remake Peckinpah?
Susana

That is the most adorable picture of James Marsden XD!!
Meg

@Susana: I KNOW! I love the picture of him as Edward in Enchanted, where he's biting his knuckle. He does whimsy so well.
wm

James Marsden....for christ's sakes. @10...you can't
jose

#12 nailed it, "He does whimsy so well". That's what the original needed... more whimsy. lame.