dr. jekyll and mr. hyde

A contemporary re-imagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde? Ok, I'm in. There have been over 120 film adaptations of the story, but none of them included mad man Abel Ferrara until now.

Bloody-Disgusting reported that Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired the rights to Ferrara's Jekyll and Hyde redo which will star Forest Whitaker and hip-hop star 50 Cent. Whoa. The film is even being produced by 50 Cent's newly formed production company, Action Jackson Films. Whitaker plays Dr. Jekyll, a rich and generous doctor who lives on the Upper East side of Manhattan. Mr. Hyde's (50 Cent) reputation precedes him as one of the most feared in all of New York. Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, Peter Utterson, investigates the mystery of who Mr. Hyde is and why he's the sole beneficiary of Dr. Jekyll's will. As the story goes, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person. Can he be saved from himself?

I can't think of a more perfect match than Driller Killer director Abel Ferrara, Forest Whitaker and 50 Cent. Whitaker is one of the most interesting actors of our time and has taken on a multitude of demanding and diverse roles. He's also starred in Ferrara's films Mary and Body Snatchers. Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson is, well, 50 Cent. He has starred along some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Mickey Rourke. Toss Abel Ferrara into the mix and we're going to get something pretty insane. Ferrara has the awesome ability to capture the grit of both the locations he chooses (mainly New York city) and his characters in films like Ms. 45, Bad Lieutenant and King of New York. He never lacks for a sense of humor about things that are both unexpected and often uncomfortable. Ferrara recently worked on several documentary films (Chelsea on the Rocks and Mulberry St.) which further exemplifies his love for the eccentric, dark and disorderly. Here's hoping we can expect the same from Jekyll and Hyde when it hits theaters