Straw Dogs remake
 

Screen Gems has set Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgard to star alongside James Marsden in "Straw Dogs," a reimagining of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah film.

Rod Lurie wrote the script and will direct. Shooting is scheduled to begin in August.

Marsden plays a Hollywood screenwriter who relocates with his wife to her hometown in Mississippi. Bosworth plays the wife, who left the South for LA. to become an actress and returns home so her husband can finish his script in quiet. Skarsgard plays her high school boyfriend, an ex-football hero who sees the return of his former girlfriend as a way to reclaim glory.

Bosworth, most recently seen in "21," next stars in "Warrior's Way." Skarsgard is playing the badass vampire Eric Northman in HBO's "True Blood." Before that, he starred in HBO's "Generation Kill."

Marc Frydman and Lurie are producing through their Battleplan Prods. banner. Gilbert Dumontet, who brought the project to Screen Gems, is executive producer.

Damn the setting in England was one of the things that made the original unique - having in the states will make it look like any other american gothic 'we don't take kindly to strangers' film.

or death wish ...

Director Rod Lurie updated the status on his official Facebook page today with a surprising addition to the cast of his forthcoming remake of Straw Dogs.

"Beginning stunt rehearsals today with James Woods and Dominic Purcell," it says on his Facebook.

They join the previously announced James Marsden, Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgard in the film which follows Los Angeles screenwriter David Sumner (Marsden), who moves with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, leading to a violent confrontation.

Screen Gems has slated it for release on February 25, 2011.

cant touch the original.

They've completely missed the point of the original- that this nerdy little guy was pushed to the point where he fights back against the odds. In this remake James Marsden is himself a big hunky guy, so when he fights back it doesn't have the emotional weight behind it. Also, as Ferox mentioned, the clash of cultures between the American interlopers who move into the British countryside is missing.

Straw dogs
 

This movie looks like it's going to be good. From what I understand it is a remake. Is anyone else going to see this?

I'd like to. Wouldn't mind seeing the new KILLER ELITE also. Are they going to remake all of Peckinpah's films? If so, I hope they at least leave THE WILD BUNCH alone. Remaking that would be as useless as remaking THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.

Most remakes can't IMO. Seems as though everything is being remade these days and a few of them are stepping on quite a few memories.

I loved the original and Hoffman was excellent as he so often is in the role.
I think it's about time I gave it another viewing.

Hey sfear! Long time no see!