MUBI Pulls Over Refn’s ‘Maniac Cop’ Remake
Nicolas Winding Refn has already set sights on his next directing gig, his long-in-the-works Maniac Cop with Mubi and Goodfellas, reports Deadline.
Originally, the project was announced at Cannes 2016 as a feature, partly based on William Lustig’s 1988 cult classic, Maniac Cop which was to be directed by John Hyams. By October 2019, the project had morphed into a TV series in development with HBO and Canal+, produced by Refn’s NWR Originals and directed and executive produced by Hyams.
The blurb at the time for the Maniac Cop series was that it was set in Los Angeles, told through a kaleidoscope of characters, from cop to common criminal. A killer in uniform has uncaged mayhem upon the streets. Paranoia leads to social disorder as a city wrestles with the mystery of the exterminator in blue – is he mere mortal, or a supernatural force? No word yet if Refn is sticking with that exact plot-line for the big screen version. He’s keeping it confidential at this point in time.
Deadline hears that Refn is shooting Maniac Cop in LA this January.
Casting is forthcoming. Refn is also producing through his NWR Originals banner, with Christina Erritzøe and Kimberly Willming acting as Executive Producers. Vincent Maraval will Executive Produce for GoodFellas. Veterans will handle sales for the rest of the world.
Mubi is fully bankrolling Maniac Cop and has taken distribution rights for North America, Latin America, the UK & Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Turkey, Australia & New Zealand. Mubi has committed to a wide theatrical release, repping another bold genre move for the theatrical distributor and streamer following the 2024 Oscar and Cannes winning The Substance.
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