Ryan Reynolds Developing ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ Remake

If it comes together, the new movie would be a fresh take on the 1974 action comedy that teamed Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges as thieves with a plan.

(Left) Ryan Reynolds attends the Academy’s 8th Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 12, 2016. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Jeff Bridges and Clint Eastwood in 1974's 'Thunderbolt & Lightfoot'.

Preview:

Ryan Reynolds is developing a remake of 1974’s ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot.’
The original starred Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges.
Amazon MGM is backing the project.

Though he usually generates his own material, Ryan Reynolds has history taking other source material and spinning it into cinematic success.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, he now has his eye on 1974 action comedy ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot,’ with the aim to develop it as a buddy comedy he can star in.

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

"Thunderbolt… the man with the reputation. Lightfoot… the kid who's about to make one!"

RAdventure Drama Action Comedy

Audience
Score

Release Date: May 23, 1974

Run Time: 1 hr 55 min

Budget: $4,000,000

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy

Watch Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Online

In addition to taking a lead role, Reynolds would produce and is at work on a new script, writing alongside Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson, whose joint screenwriting resume includes season 4 of ‘Fargo.’

And on the directing front, editor Shane Reid (who was one of two editors on ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’) is stepping up to make his shot-calling debut.

What’s the story of ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’?

(L to R): Jeff Bridges and Clint Eastwood in 1974's 'Thunderbolt & Lightfoot'.

The original 1974 ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ starred Clint Eastwood as a bank robber disguised as a preacher and on the run from his old gang, who erroneously believe he double-crossed them.

When he meets up with Lightfoot, a low-level street thief played by Jeff Bridges, the two come up with a plan to team with the old gang for a new bank job. Nothing goes as intended.

The movie was the directorial debut of Michael Cimino, who would later go on to win a best directing Oscar for his 1978 Vietnam War drama ‘The Deer Hunter.’ Cimino also wrote the script for ‘Thunderbollt.’ Bridges earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor for his performance.

And stop us if we’re wrong, but we’re thinking… could this be the movie that reunites Reynolds with his pal and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ co-star Hugh Jackman? Actually, don’t stop us. We like the idea too much.

What else is Ryan Reynolds up to?

Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

Despite saying he’s taking a break after all the effort he poured into the last Deadpool movie, Reynolds has seemingly been as busy as ever, just more behind the scenes. That is when he’s not appearing in Mint Mobile commercials every other TV ad break.

Just this week, he signed on to star as the villain in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of ‘Eloise,’ based on the children’s book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight, which he and his Maximum Effort colleagues are producing. He is also a producer on ‘John Candy: I Like Me,’ the documentary on the late great comedic actor that premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival and is now streaming on Amazon.

Besides those, there are his rumored plans for a Deadpool/X-Men crossover and various other potential movies.

When might the new ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ be on screens?

With the movie still in a relatively early development phase, Amazon MGM has yet to commit to an actual release date. But it sounds like there is some positive forward movement.