According to Deadline, the classic French novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” will win a new version for theaters by producer Bear Grylls.
Unlike previous adaptations, the remake will take place today and in Afghanistan. David Goyer (“Man of Steel“) had signed a version described as “” Dark Knight “in the 19th century”, but the project was never realized.
Ben Grass and Christophe Charlier will also produce the feature film and “will focus on the friendship and rivalry between two soldiers sent to Afghanistan”.
The theme is very similar to the original novel: signed by Alexandre Dumas between 1844 and 1846, the story centers on Edmond Dantés, a young sailor on the eve of becoming the youngest captain of his ship and his marriage who is accused in wrong to be a Bonapartist agent and taken to the island of Monte Cristo. Determined to escape and find a precious treasure hidden there, Edmond transforms into a wealthy tycoon and uses his power to destroy the men responsible for his arrest.
The work won numerous versions for film and television, the premiere of which was still in 1912, directed by Colin Campbell. In 2002 Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce played the main characters in the reinterpretation of Kevin Reynolds, and in 2004 the story won an anime version called “Gankutsu-ô”.
Still without much information released, Grylls plans to hire the cast soon and start filming in 2021.