Years have passed since Michael B. Jordan’s remake of The Thomas Crown Affair was first announced, and I’m still amped to know that it’s finally happening. News has come out that the film will start shooting next week, not too long after Jordan’s hit 2025 movie Sinners lit the box office up. As his acting/directing duties on the Amazon-MGM picture continue to align, some A+ casting has taken place - and a reported story detail has me just a little bit concerned.
Michael B. Jordan’s Thomas Crown Affair Remake Just Added An A+ Cast
Yes folks, The Thomas Crown Affair is a remake! Not only that, but it’s the second remake of the 1968 original, which starred Steve McQueen. The previous take from 1999 starred Pierce Brosnan as the New York based billionaire with a taste for the finer crimes in life; with Jordan stepping into that character for a planned March 5, 2027 release date. Which leads to that THR report that gave us these details:
Sources say this time the action is taking place in Europe, while still keeping the art-thieving theme. Jordan is playing the billionaire with the art-loving sticky fingers, while [Taylor] Russell is the suave private detective. Character details for [Lily] Gladstone and [Kenneth] Branagh are being kept under the umbrella. According to sources, [Danai] Gurira will play Jordan’s confidante.
Before we go any further, I need to express some excitement for this roster; especially when Ms. Gladstone is one of two cast members serving a mysterious purpose. Also, the Belfast director’s agent deserves a raise, especially after Branagh’s The Devil Wears Prada sequel casting.
Digging into the characters we have heard details on, a Black Panther reunion is underway, as Ms. Guirira and her former MCU nemesis will now be on the same side for once. Meanwhile, it already sounds like Michael B. Jordan and Russell will be the respective mouse and cat of this game.
Following in the footsteps of Faye Dunaway and Rene Russo, our Bones and All star just might be chasing her prey across the continent. I'm speculating here, but why else would the vague setting of "Europe" be invoked in these initial reports?
If that’s the case, this could be a great change to the original plot through current writer Drew Pearce. Yet with that thought in the air, there’s one thing about this still secretive story that I wish they’d changed for modern audiences who may have caught one or both versions of The Thomas Crown Affair through their Prime Video subscription.
I Really Wish Thomas Crown Was Stealing Something Other Than Art
As you look at the jump between the 1968 and 1999 incarnations of Mr. Crown’s affairs, you’ll notice that the object of his larcenous desire changed over time. Steve McQueen’s Thomas was after almost $3 million in cash in Boston, while Pierce Brosnan was the first to try and purloin a special Monet painting.
Going on its third round of snatch and grab is the perfect time for The Thomas Crown Affair to chase something else; rather than just stick to art. Even one of the two unmade Brosnan sequels understood that, as MI6-HQ reported 1964’s Topkapi as a supposed influence for the project. That concept would have swapped art for jewels, and Michael B. Jordan’s remake could have done something really different with that.
It’s still early days for this mysterious ball game, and sticking to art isn’t a deal breaker for a fan like me. At the same time, there are so many new things one could steal in the 21st century; including the realm of digital assets. Bitcoin may be intangible, but the stakes could still be sexy. If we're sticking to physical objects, vintage cars might have been something worth considering.
Just ask Dominic Toretto and his Fast Saga family, as they’ve nabbed everything from cherry autos and TV-VCR combos to weapons of mass destruction. Ok, now that I’ve said that out loud, maybe The Thomas Crown Affair’s decision to stick to art isn’t that bad of a move after all. We’ll have to wait and see, as Michael B. Jordan and company won’t hit the screen until March 6, 2027.
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