Cary Elwes Had the Best Response to Rumors of a ‘Princess Bride’ Remake
They wouldn’t dare do it. Would they?
It seems like every week there’s another announcement about a classic movie being remade. No film is safe from this modernizing treatment — we’ve all endured cartoons like The Lion King come to life along with age-old stories revamped for modern times, like Stephen King’s It. But there’s one movie most fans agree should be exempt from the remake treatment: the 1987 cult classic The Princess Bride.
The internet had a rare moment of unity when they gave this idea a resounding, “NO!” after rumors started in earnest this week. It’s still unclear if the remake is really a possibility or just a (highly contentious) idea. One thing that’s for sure? Anyone attempting to remake The Princess Bride will have their work cut out for them.
Is there really going to be a ‘Princess Bride’ remake?
The funny thing about The Princess Bride is that it wasn’t that popular to begin with. The fairy tale adventure starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright Penn was well-received by critics but only had nominal success at the box office. Things really took a turn after the movie was released on VHS, however.
Now the timeless tale of farm boy Wesley falling in love with Princess Buttercup, all in a magical world of dastardly princes and rodents of unusual size, remains one of the best-loved films ever made. In 2016, The Princess Bride was inducted into the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
Then what’s with the remake rumors? It all comes from a Variety story about Princess Bride producer Norman Lear and his new deal with Sony. As Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra told Variety, “We have so many people coming to us saying, ‘We want to remake this show or that show.’ Very famous people whose names I won’t use, but they want to redo ‘The Princess Bride.’”
It seems like no one wants a ‘Princess Bride’ remake
None of these so-called remake supporters made themselves known amidst the remake backlash. Instead, everyone from fans to actors who originally appeared in the film came out in staunch opposition to the idea of a remake.
Cary Elwes, who played Wesley in the movie, had a perfect response that was a twist on one of the iconic lines in the film. He tweeted: “There’s a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one.”
Jamie Lee Curtis, the wife of Princess Bride supporting actor Christopher Guest, had an equally hilarious response. “Oh really? Well, I married the six fingered man, obviously why we have stayed together for 35 years and there is only ONE The Princess Bride and it’s William Goldman and @robreiner’s. ‘Life is pain highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something!’”
Will the ‘Princess Bride’ remake happen anyway?
While many filmmakers ignore online chatter, there are certain instances when they use fan opinions to make movies stronger — or not make them at all. For example, Sonic the Hedgehog received a complete overhaul based on fan criticism after the trailer was released.
It’s not inconceivable to believe that the idea of a Princess Bride remake will be scrapped based on the outrage alone. We can only hope.
