When The Bodyguard premiered nearly 30 years ago, it was a smash hit at the box office. The romantic action thriller centers on the unlikely love story between larger-than-life superstar singer Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) and her no-nonsense bodyguard Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), a former Secret Service agent. The $411 million the film grossed worldwide placed it at the number 2 spot on the list of the highest-grossing films of 1992, behind only Disney’s Aladdin. And the movie’s soundtrack, which prominently featured Houston at the absolute height of her powers, skyrocketed to the very top of the best-selling album charts—where it remains to this day. (With bops like “I Have Nothing,” “I’m Every Woman,” “Run to You,” and “I Will Always Love You,” how could it possibly not?!)
Although critics panned the movie, it did earn two Academy Award nominations (for the original songs “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You”) and has since endured as a beloved classic for some and as a guilty pleasure for others. Count us in the former camp, but we’ll admit that we might be a bit biased since the movie’s climax takes place at the Oscars – and involves an onstage incident that makes Envelopegate (we’ll always love you, Moonlight and La La Land casts and crews) look like a walk in the park.
Everything to Know About the Upcoming Remake of The Bodyguard
A direct sequel with more of Rachel and Frank’s story isn’t possible in light of Houston’s tragic and premature death in 2012, but development is underway for a 21st century take. As the original’s 30th anniversary approaches, we’ve gathered up everything there is to know about the upcoming remake of The Bodyguard.
What took so long to make another Bodyguard? Well, we almost got a Bodyguard 2 in the 90s, actually. Costner, who also served as a producer on the original, actually had convinced none other than Princess Diana to star opposite him in a sequel. A script was completed, in fact, just a few days before her tragic death in 1997.
Who’s behind the new Bodyguard remake? Warner Bros. has hired playwright Matthew López to write the reimagining. For his hit play The Inheritance, López recently became the first Latinx writer to win the Tony Award for Best Play, and he’s also been booked to write and direct the movie adaptation of the LGBTQ+ romance novel Red, White & Royal Blue.
What do we know about the plot? Instead of focusing on an established superstar like Houston’s Rachel Marron, López has told Variety the remake will follow a young, overnight sensation as her world is transformed by sudden fame. And we can only imagine that this means she’ll need to hire a security team – or at least one bodyguard – to help keep her safe.
Has anyone already been cast? While no one has been cast in the lead roles, López has shared a bit more about the characters he’s writing, telling Variety: “When Warner Bros. approached me about the idea, I quickly said I would but I wanted the protagonist to be Latina. They agreed to that. It was important to me to use this opportunity to get Latin faces up on that screen and to get their stories told in a big way.”
When can we see this remake of The Bodyguard? Production isn’t underway just yet, but we hope to see the new Bodyguard on screens in the next year or two.
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