Memento remake announcement from AMBI draws derision online

Hollywood's endless appetite for movie reboots remains unabated, with relatively new player AMBI Pictures announcing plans to remake Christopher Nolan's breakthrough film Memento.

New Hollywood player announces plans to remake 2000 Christopher Nolan thriller

CBC News Posted: Nov 17, 2015 1:15 PM EST | Last Updated: November 17, 2015

Hollywood's endless appetite for movie reboots remains unabated, with relatively new player AMBI Pictures announcing plans to remake Christopher Nolan's breakthrough film Memento.

The Oscar-nominatedindiethriller, originally released in 2000, stars GuyPearceas a man trying to solve his wife's murder despite being unable to retain short-term memories.

Guy Pearce appears in a scene from 2000's Memento, which is being prepped for a remake. (YouTube)

Widely considered a modern movie classic, Memento made a splash for the distinctive way the story unfolded. The narrative was toldboth chronologically and in reverse order, withscenes shown in colour as well as black and white.

Nolan, now known for such big-budget blockbusters as Interstellar,Inception and The Dark Knight, directed Memento based on a short story penned by his brother, Jonathan.

"Memento is a masterpiece that leaves audiences guessing not just throughout the film, but long after as well, which is a testament to its daring approach. We intend to stay true to Christopher Nolan's vision and deliver a memorable movie that is every bit as edgy, iconic and award-worthy as the original," Italian business woman and AMBI co-founder Monika Bacardi, who runs the firm with producer Andrea Iervolino, said in a statement issued Monday.

Memento put British director Christopher Nolan on the map. He has since gone on to make such blockbuster films as Inception and The Dark Knight. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

"It's a big responsibility to deliver something that lives up to the mastery of the original, but we are extremely excited and motivated to bring this puzzle back to life and back into the minds of moviegoers."

The company, which launched a $200-million US film fund last week, is able to remake the film after having acquired the 400-title library of Exclusive Media Group, which also produced such moviesas Cruel Intentions, The Passion of the Christ, The Mexican and Donnie Darko.

While a Memento remake may never actuallycome to fruition, the news was met with with a wave of criticism and derision online.

To those producing the Memento remake: Jaws and Back to the Future are still up for grabs in case you wanted to tarnish anything else.
—@Chris_Stuckmann

We're canceling our improv session, primal scream yoga and harvesting so that the children can adequately protest the Memento remake.
—@LosFelizDaycare

Film Twitter responding to the MEMENTO remake today pic.twitter.com/9JFcETjC3B
—@alxhuls

Memento? Memento?! MEMENTO?!?! That doesn't even make a little bit of sense. https://t.co/9dKfHbB4I7
—@cinemasins

Meanwhile, some in the industry mused about whether a remake would actually get made, noting that plans do not always make for a finished film, questioning which actors would actually agree to participate and even applauding the company for the audacious idea in the first place.

Pease don't say a MEMENTO remake is "happening." It happens when there's a script, director, distribution, cast, greenlight and shoot date.
—@JLDlite

What A-list star would risk angering Christopher Nolan by starring in an ill-advised indie remake? Probably no one. https://t.co/lx8vpfUcMP
—@TheInSneider

Not everyone thinks the just-announced "Memento" remake is such a bad idea https://t.co/G1F6vGmx0X pic.twitter.com/c69qPTTCpP
—@Forbes

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