Universal's 1994 thriller, The River Wild, is getting a reboot as actors Leighton Meester, Taran Killam, and Adam Brody are set to star in the upcoming film which has recently begun production in Hungary. The upcoming film will be directed by Ben Ketai, best known for writing the film, The Strangers: Prey at Night, and the television series, StartUp.
The trio of actors will reunite together after previously starring in the television sitcom Single Parents. The film will center around a brother (Killam) and a sister (Meester) as they go on a rafting trip with their childhood friend (Brody). As the group embarks on their journey, it is revealed that their childhood friend is more dangerous than he seems. Universal 1440 Entertainment has also shared the first image from the upcoming film with the trio standing by the river decked out in rafting gear.
“We are excited to announce a thrilling new The River Wild story, with fresh characters and a story that brings the universe to new audiences and fans of the original,” said Glenn Ross, General Manager and Executive Vice President at Universal 1440 Entertainment. “The production features a talented cast, and we think movie lovers will be excited by director Ben Ketai’s modern take on the popular classic film.”
The new film will be based on the original 1994 movie directed by Curtis Hanson which centered on a family that faces violent criminals in the wild during a water rafting trip. The film starred three-time Academy Award-winner Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon (Footloose), David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck), John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy), Benjamin Bratt (Coco), and Joseph Mazzello (Jurassic Park).
The thriller was well responded to by critics and earned $94.2 million at the worldwide box office. Directed by Curtis Hanson the original film would go on to receive two Golden Globe nominations for Streep and Bacon's performances. While it appears that the reboot will certainly differ from the original film, with a trio of talented actors at the center, The River Wild could be a return to the same thrilling experience that the 1994 film delivered.
Alongside directing the film, Ketai pens the script with Mike Nguyen Le, who previously wrote Patient Zero. Ogden Gavanski will serve as a producer for the film. The film will be released sometime in 2023 on digital and other non-theatrical platforms.
With The River Wild still in its early stages of production, no release date has been set yet. Check out the trailer for the original film and the full-size image from the reboot down below:
