Paramount are launching a new film version of The Saint and they’ve found their leading man in Bridgeton breakout star Regé-Jean Page.
I haven’t seen the smash-hit Netflix series, but I can’t understate this enough PAGE IS A TERRIFIC CHOICE!
Just look at the man!! Seeing him in interviews, he’s incredibly charming, charismatic and has a Roger Moore vibe about him, making him perfect for Simon Templar.
Page will make the role his own as Moore is the only one to play the character (there’s Val Kilmer, but I purposely forget that), but I can see him wanting to bring some of that charm and humour from the original series.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals the Bridgeton star will not just star but also executive produce the upcoming film with playwright and actor Kwame Kwei-Armah brought in to write the new draft of the script.
It’s clear Paramount wants to tie down Page for the foreseeable future as he is currently filming Dungeons & Dragons for the studio.
When I first saw this news, I thought it was connected to the Dexter Fletcher project, but THR state it was to star Chris Pine (another top choice, but I would’ve preferred a Brit). However, that project has now been shelved.
Question marks remain over Fletcher’s involvement as the filmmaker is well-liked at the studio having directed Rocketman and is currently working on the making of- The Godfather limited series called The Offer for Paramount+.
I hope the studio can keep him on board because I believe Fletcher is the ideal director for this property.
The Saint is based on Leslie Charteris books during the early 20th century and proved to be highly popular, especially in the 60s with the TV series starring Moore and one of the reasons to help him land the role of James Bond.
The series is still being shown on British TV to this day and hopefully introduce new fans.
I think the IP is ideal for features, and they don’t have to tackle big issues or have meaning. Because if they continue what the series did and be some fun action entertainment, it could be a decent hit.
As the story is simple, it’s about Templar taking down bad guys, either domestically or internationally, and is always joined by a lovely woman.
While the series had humour, it always felt natural as Moore wasn’t really acting as he was just himself. So hopefully, it won’t be too comedic like Johnny English, instead just bringing out Page’s humour.
Finally, now that they have the perfect lead, all I ask for is to keep the original theme it’s excellent and straightforward, and there’s no need to remix it or make it feel modern; just make it sound more epic with a full orchestra.
The Bear Cave 