(Left) Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Death on the Nile,’ a mystery-thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh based on Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel. Photo by Rob Youngson. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Lily Gladstone at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Preview:
- Kenneth Branagh, Lily Gladstone and Danai Gurira are joining ‘The Thomas Crown Affair.’
- Michael B. Jordan is starring and directing in the movie.
- Amazon MGM Studios will release the movie worldwide.
We’ve known for a while that ‘Creed III’ director/star Michael B. Jordan planned to follow that up with another double duty assignment, this time a new adaptation of heist thriller ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’.
“McQueen and Dunaway… partners in crime.”
It’s now properly moving forward, with Jordan having started production this week in London.
And the cast –– which previously just included the director and ‘Bones and All’s Taylor Russell –– has had a boost too, with Deadline reporting that Kenneth Branagh (no slouch in the directing/starring department himself) and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone have joined the movie.
The trade site also offers word that producer Charles Roven (who recently shepherded the likes of ‘The Killer’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ to screens) will be overseeing things behind the scenes, while The Wrap has the news that Jordan’s ‘Black Panther’ co-star Danai Gurira is also aboard.
Related Article: Michael B. Jordan Directing and Starring in New Take on ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’
What’s the history of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’?
(L to R) Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in 1969’s ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’. Photo: United Artists.
The 1968 original, directed by Norman Jewison, saw Steve McQueen as the titular bored millionaire, who concocts and executes a brilliant scheme to rob a bank without having to do any of the work himself.
When Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway), an investigator for the bank’s insurance company, takes an interest in Crown, the two begin a complicated cat-and-mouse game with a romantic undertone.
In an attempt to decipher Anderson’s agenda, Crown devises another robbery like his first, wondering if he can get away with the same crime twice.
The film saw a remake in 1999 with John McTiernan in the director’s chair, Pierce Brosnan as Crown and Rene Russo as Catherine Banning, the woman on his trail.
What will the new ‘Thomas Crown Affair’ be about?
Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Death on the Nile.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Few details have emerged about Jordan’s take on the material, though we presume it’ll be a similar blend of high stakes heist action and unexpected romance.
What we do know is the script comes from ‘The Fall Guy’s Drew Pearce, with a previous draft by Wes Tooke and Justin Britt-Gibson, based on the original film.
Patrick McCormick and Toberoff Productions’ Marc Toberoff will also serve as producers, with Alan Trustman–– who wrote the 1968 original ––– serving as executive producer.
As for who Branagh, Gladstone and Gurira will be playing? Still unknown right now.
Where else can we see Kenneth Branagh, Lily Gladstone and Danai Gurira?
Lily Gladstone stars in ‘Fancy Dance,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Branagh is part of the cast for action thriller ‘Mayday,’ which has John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein writing and directing.
And he’s written and directed his own new movie, ‘The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde’, which stars Jodie Comer and is now in post-production.
Finally, he was recently announced as part of the ensemble for comedy drama sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’.
As for Gladstone, the actor was most recently seen in romantic comedy ‘The Wedding Banquet’ and has thriller ‘Lone Wolf’ and comedy ‘In Memoriam’ on the way.
Gurira was last seen in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ and continues her MCU duties by lending her voice to play Okoye in the upcoming ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ animated series.
She’s most recently been working on ‘The Fighting Shirley Chisholm’ playing Chisholm, who became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968.
And she will next be seen in ‘Matchbox’, adapted from the popular toy line, starring alongside John Cena.
What else is Michael B. Jordan working on?
(L to R) Director Michael B. Jordan and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau on the set of their film ‘Creed III,’ A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Photo credit: Eli Ade. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved
In addition to this new directorial job, Jordan has been keeping himself typically busy.
He has several projects in development, including a ‘Rainbow Six’ film that will see him return as special forces operative John Clark. He’s also working up a fourth ‘Creed’ movie, which he’s expressed a desire to direct following his success with the third (which made $276 million at the global box office).
And he’s also attached to star with Will Smith in the long-developing follow-up to ‘I Am Legend,’ which has Francis Lawrence aboard to direct.
Jordan told Variety last year that he felt like he had plenty of work still to do:
“I still feel like an underdog. I feel like I just got here, like I’ve just arrived, and I have the tools and the things around me to really be on the offensive a little bit.”
When will the new ‘Thomas Crown Affair’ steal its way into theaters?
The movie has a March 5th, 2027 date set by backers Amazon MGM Studios. And with the cameras already rolling, Jordan is on track to deliver.
Pierce Brosnan in 1999’s ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’. Photo: MGM.
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