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Surf's up for Gerard Butler in Point Break movie remake

SCOTTISH heart-throb Gerard Butler is in talks to star as surfer Bodhi in the upcoming remake of 1991 cult classic Point Break, a role made famous by the late Patrick Swayze.

USA actor Keanu Reeves (l) with Patrick Swayze (r) in scene from film "Point Break"./Films/Titles/...
USA actor Keanu Reeves (l) with Patrick Swayze (r) in scene from film "Point Break"./Films/Titles/...

SCOTTISH heart-throb Gerard Butler is in talks to star as surfer Bodhi in the upcoming remake of 1991 cult classic Point Break, a role made famous by the late Patrick Swayze.

The original action film starred a then-twenty-something Keanu Reeves and Swayze as surfing buddies on the run from the law. There's no news as yet on who will play Keanu's Johhny Utah character, but one thing's for sure: Keanu won't be reprising his role.

Asked by BBC 5 Live if he wanted to be involved in the remake, Reeves said: "Absolutely not. It's not my place. [The remake] sounds very exciting - but is it a good thing? I don't know."

The 1991 original was an early success for director Kathryn Bigelow, who went on to later acclaim with films including Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and The Hurt Locker (2008), for which she became the first woman ever to win the Best Director award at the Oscars. In contrast, the upcoming remake - slated for release in 2015 - will be helmed by first-time film director Ericson Core, who made his name as a cinematographer on The Fast And The Furious franchise.

Producer Andrew Kosove last year told Indiewire that the scope of the remake has been expanded beyond surfing to include "other kinds of extreme sports…" "but surfing is very, very prominent in the story."

With Keanu definitely out of the picture, could we suggest Joseph Gordon-Levitt to take over the Johnny Utah role this time around? The 32-year-old is the spitting image of a young Reeves… and we'd totally be OK with watching him thrash around in the surf in a wetsuit for 90 minutes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt poses backstage with the Hollywood breakthrough actor award at the 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Kristian Dowling)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt poses backstage with the Hollywood breakthrough actor award at the 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Kristian Dowling)

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/movies/surfs-up-for-gerard-butler-in-point-break-movie-remake/news-story/b00777817a64c636cc87b72ea2ad49f0