Paramount Pictures will be producing a remake of the 1974 classic film The Gambler. The original film, starring James Caan and Lauren Hutton has been lauded by film critics for its direction, acting and writing.

As is the case with most remakes, film buffs are sceptical about whether or not 2014’s incarnation of The Gambler will be any good.

The Premise

The Gambler was based on a novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, which was about a young teacher’s descent into gambling addiction. The main character’s struggles parallel Dostoyevsky’s own addiction to roulette. A woman with whom he is in love pushes him to begin gambling and he soon spirals out of control.

The novella inspired several other incarnations, including an opera by Sergei Prokofiev.

The Gambler, 1974

The 1974 version of The Gambler starred James Caan as an English professor who is addicted to gambling. He accrues a gambling debt worth $44 000 and, after receiving the money to pay off his debt, he spends it all in Las Vegas.

As he loses control of his spending, he resorts to match-fixing and other illegal activities – alienating his loved ones as his life is taken over by the dangerous addiction.

The Remake

At the moment, little is known about the remake of The Gambler. All we know for sure is that it is being produced by Paramount Pictures and that the film will star Mark Wahlberg. Rupert Wyatt’s name has also been attached to the project, and Jessica Lange has recently joined the cast.

There is a great deal of star power attached to the film, so we are hoping to be impressed by the end result.

Expectation vs Reality

2013’s big gambling film, Runner Runner, was expected to be a big hit at the box office due to all of the star power that was attached to the title. It starred Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, and it was produced by Leonardo DiCaprio - but it was a huge flop.

In addition to failing to impress viewers with its plot and the actor’s performances, it also seemed that movie-goers were not very interested in watching a film that focused on gambling.

We hope that The Gambler will fare better at the box office, but there is no telling with remakes. The 1974 film has become a classic, and we hope that the new cast and production team will do the original justice.