Projects come and go, some get announced and never happen, and sometimes filmmakers lose interest. But Steven Spielberg’s remake of Steve McQueen’s action car chase classic “Bullitt” (1968) looks like it is not only moving forward, but his next film as Bradley Cooper has been cast in the lead role.
Set up at Warner Bros., Deadline says Cooper will also produce the pic along with Spielberg and his producing partner Kristie Macosko Krieger (who also produced Cooper’s next film “Maestro”). Josh Singer (“Spotlight,” “The Post”) on board to pen the script. Steve McQueen’s son, Chad, and granddaughter Molly McQueen will exec produce the new movie.
Directed by Peter Yates in 1968, the original “Bullitt” centers on no-nonsense San Francisco cop Lt. Frank Bullitt and the film was known for its dazzling, realistic and visceral car chase scenes. However, sources tell the trade they are adamant that this new version is not remake of the original film but a new idea centered on the character.
Cooper and Spielberg have been trying to collaborate on something for years and almost did on “American Sniper,” a film Spielberg was originally attached to make before he eventually handed it off to Clint Eastwood, staying onboard as a producer instead. Spielberg also almost directed “Maestro,” a biopic of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, which Bradley Cooper eventually directed himself (it’ll come out sometime in 2023; likely awards season).
The two have been apparently discussing the project for some time, and as far back as during downtime in the pandemic.
Spielberg is coming off “The Fabelmans” and Cooper will likely be busy with “Maestro” until its ready for release next year, but presumably after picture’s locked, both of these two could go full throttle on the new Frank Bullitt story.
