Ryan Reynolds is set to star in and produce a remake of the 1974 action-comedy Thunderbolt and Lightfoot for Amazon MGM Studios. The project marks director Shane Reid's feature debut, following his editing work on Deadpool and Wolverine. Reynolds is collaborating on the script with writers Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson.
Background on the Original Film
The original Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, released in 1974 by United Artists, was written and directed by Michael Cimino in his feature debut. The dark-comedy heist story follows a bank robber played by Clint Eastwood and his irreverent sidekick portrayed by Jeff Bridges as they reassemble their old posse for a new daring heist. Bridges earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and the film grossed $21.7 million unadjusted for inflation.
Remake Details
This remake is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with Ryan Reynolds attached to star and produce under his Maximum Effort banner. Shane Reid, who edited the record-breaking Deadpool and Wolverine— which earned $636.7 million domestically and $1.33 billion worldwide—will make his directorial debut. Reynolds is working on the script alongside Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson, known for their work on FX's Fargo season four and Snowfall.
Maximum Effort has a first-look deal at Paramount, renewed in February 2024. No release date or additional casting has been announced yet.