One of David Fincher’s Most Underrated Movies Is Getting Remade (With a Catch)

David Fincher’s 2002 thriller Panic Room is getting a remake, but this time it will target a much broader audience. The new adaptation is in development by Floresta, a Brazilian production company owned by Sony Pictures Television. It has a Brazilian director, Gabriela Amaral Almeida, and a Brazilian star, Ísis Valverde, and according to a report by Variety they are developing it with global streaming platforms in mind.

Panic Room is a thriller about a mother and daughter whose home is invaded by burglars, but luckily they have a secure space prepared for this occasion. However, as the plot goes on they realize that the burglars are looking for something specific that is hidden in the panic room with them. The original starred Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart, as well as Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto and Dwight Yoakam. So far, the only cast member confirmed for the Brazilian adaption is Valverde.

“2024 has been a challenging yet generous year for me, full of possibilities, plans, and projects finally getting off the drawing board,” the actress said. “Ending this year with such great news is incredible. Being chosen to play this role is an honor, as is sharing the set with Gabriela Amaral, a truly unique director and a wonderful team. I hope to deliver a performance full of colors that overflows the screen.”

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Floresta excels at exporting Brazilian productions to a global audience, from reality TV to films and streaming series. The company’s artistic director of fiction, Thiago Teitelroit, explained to Variety why they believed a re-adaptation of Panic Room was timely, saying: “Besides an extremely current plot, we developed an electrifying thriller that also brings an important ethical discussion. The story, an IP of Sony, aligned with what we were looking for: a product that allows great performances from the cast and direction in a narrative capable of appealing to a wide audience.”

Panic Room was a critical and commercial success, though not to the same extent as some of Fincher’s other movies. However, in the years since its release it has been the subject of extensive critical discussions online, and in academia. It is relatively underrated, but it clearly has a place in the cultural zeitgeist, and a remake may be just the thing to cement that legacy over two decades later.

Panic Room is streaming now on Max. Almeida’s remake is currently in development, with no production date or release date so far.