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There’s been some rumors floating about regarding the possibility that Colin Farrell would star in the lead of director Len Wiseman’s remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic TOTAL RECALL. But until now there wasn’t any direct confirmation on Farrell’s casting. Now that has changed. The film’s producer Neal Moritz spoke with Collider confirming the actor’s casting stating “We’re doing the movie with Colin Farrell” thankfully adding “We’re not gonna do Recall in 3D, we decided that it would be too much” and stating shooting begins on May 15. Moritz elaborated:
“I think the world that Len Wiseman is creating is incredible. It’s a real world, a real future world, where the cities have just gotten so overcrowded that the cities are just built up, up, up, up. It’s just everything I see on the movie, every pre-vis I see on the movie, every conceptual drawing on this movie that I see just makes me more and more excited. We’re playing it like a real world, but there’s all these technological advancements to the real world, and it’s just really, it’s cool. It’s an awesome movie. I’m dying—as a fan of movies, more than anything, it’s a movie that I’m just dying to see.”
Moritz also added a few interesting tidbits about how this take on TOTAL RECALL will be different from the other film:
“It’s closer to the book, the big difference is we don’t go to space. Yeah I can’t talk about more than that, but instead of it being a spaceship that takes us to another planet, there’s something that takes us from one side of the planet to another that’s really interesting.He called it a big film, bigger in scope than his recent productions Green Hornet and Battle: Los Angeles, though he says the story hews closer to the Philip K Dick source story We Can Remember it For You Wholesale. In particular, the film won’t see the action going into space.”
I loved the Schwarzenegger film, mainly because it was so over the top and extreme in its violence, thanks primarily to the always-intense direction of Paul Verhoeven (where’s he been?!). While I’m intrigued at the idea of an update, I’m not sure if it’s really necessary… of course one could argue that few of the reboots and remakes these days are ever really necessary. There’s also the fact that the original TOTAL RECALL came out in 1990, which wasn’t that long ago. Then there’s the Len Wiseman factor – a director who is competent, but never really wows me with his work. Not sure how he thinks he’d be able to do anything revolutionary with the concepts behind the Philip K. Dick short story. What do you think? Does the idea of a TOTAL RECALL remake starring Colin Farrell intrigue you? Tell us in the comments.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
There are so many remakes that I’m no longer mad since this seems to be the new hangout spot for Hollywood, Remake Blvd.
You’ve got to give respect where respect is due. Colin Farrell has come a long way since those tabloid days. A very long way. He’s been picking smaller independents and obviously made the right choice resulting in a well-deserved Golden Globe win for In Bruges. I’ve been waiting for him to return to action! Fright Night is next year (yet another remake), and while Twilight has made people sick of vampires, there won’t be any sparkles in this film. The script was promising in my opinion.
What I will say is at least they aren’t making a remake 2 seconds after the film drops like with “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” I feel the American remake is way too close to the 2009 Swedish original. I hope people give repspect to the original and not just the big budget American version. I understand Total Recall isn’t an older film either, but to remake a film 1-2 years later is ridiculous and all about money. Let the original have it’s spotlight for goodness sake!
I think Colin will do a damn fine job with Total Recall. The man can act! Don’t look at box office numbers so hard, (especially since there are so many limited released independents in his filmography) … watch his films and not his past scandals – the past is the past, he’s paid his dues. I’ve always believed Alexander was director Stone’s fault, not anyone in the cast and the script for Miami Vice was doomed the moment the screenwriter thought the moviegoers wanted to have 15 minutes of the film focused on a romantic getaway to Cuba. We wanted more action with Jamie and Colin! That was completely insane!