As far as movies about surfer dudes who rob banks go, Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break definitely ranks as one of the best. Starring Keanu Reeves as undercover FBI agent Johnny Utah and Patrick Swayze as the charismatic, philosophizing criminal Bodhi, Point Break is still a fun and exciting watch even 23 years after its release.

That doesn't mean that it isn't going to get a 21st century remake in order to be more hip and down with the kids, though. Alcon Entertainment is producing a new version of Point Break, which is set to begin filming later this year, but rather than focusing on surfers it will instead take place in the world of extreme sports. Perhaps they're planning on expanding that skydiving scene.

Gerard Butler is already set to play Bodhi, and now the other lead cast member has been found as Variety reports that Luke Bracey (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) will play Johnny Utah. Bracey originally hails from Home and Away, the Australian soap that has proven to be a breeding ground for actors who eventually make it big in Hollywood, but right now he's virtually unknown in the US. Other actors who were considered for the role include Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class), Luke Grimes (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy).

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Pairing a newcomer like Bracey with an established actor like Butler seems like a smart move, especially if Alcon wants to keep the budget in check for this risky remake. When the original movie came out Reeves was best known for playing Ted Logan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and had never before been asked to fire his gun up in the air and go "Aaarrrgh!"

Ericson Core (Invincible) is set to direct Point Break from a script penned by Kurt Wimmer, who also wrote the script for the recent Total Recall remake. It's not the kind of creative team that will have people immediately jumping for joy, but as always we'll reserve judgement until we see a trailer.

Last week we made the case for why everyone should love remakes and reboots, and a lot of readers agreed that the best thing a remake can do is try to be different from the original. Will the change of scenery be enough to make this version of Point Break stand on its own?

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We'll keep you updated on Point Break as the project develops.

Source: Variety