Fatal Attraction star Lizzy Caplan details how the upcoming Paramount+ reboot will be different than the iconic thriller movie. Debuting in 1987 with Michael Douglas and Glenn Close as the leads, Fatal Attraction focused on a weekend affair that turns into a dangerous one-sided obsession. The film, directed by Adrian Lyne, was a big hit at the box office and was ultimately nominated for six Oscars. But it's also been criticized for its one-note depiction of Close's character as an unhinged woman bent on revenge.
Caplan also previewed the upcoming Fatal Attraction reboot as part of a profile for Grazia magazine to promote her role in Fleishman Is in Trouble. Caplan praised the original but spoke frankly about the alternate ending, which Close preferred. Close's character, Alex, kills herself in that alternate version. But because it didn't test well with audiences, Alex ends up as just a villain that gets killed off. In the quote below, Caplan talks about how the series will show the progress that's been made since the original was released:
“The [original] movie still is great. It’s still scary, and makes you ask big questions, but there were two different endings and there was one ending that Glenn Close preferred, but they ended up going for another one. Glenn Close was sort of fighting to protect her character Alex’s fragile mental illness that she was dealing with. None of that was really reflected in the film. Audiences saw it very much through a 1980s perspective—this amazing guy makes one mistake and now this horrible woman is trying to ruin his life. Especially because Glenn Close is doing such subtle, careful work that if you’re looking for it, it’s all there.
It really shows how far we have come. I don’t think that we’ve arrived at any finish line in terms of everything that’s happened with #MeToo and what that set in motion. But the idea that you could never make the 1980s version of this now, shows some degree of progress. I think when they’re at their best, that’s what the reboot would do and hopefully our show does that.”
What To Expect From The Fatal Attraction Reboot
The reboot was announced in November 2021. Caplan plays the female lead, again named Alex, while Joshua Jackson will portray Dan Gallagher, the name of Douglas' character. The project is a reunion for Caplan and Jackson, who previously worked together on the Showtime series Masters of Sex. The cast of the Fatal Attraction series also includes Amanda Peet, Alyssa Jirrels, Toby Huss, Reno Wilson, and Brian Goodman. Alexandra Cunningham wrote the project based on a story she co-wrote with Kevin J. Hynes.
Cunningham previously worked on several other dramas, including as the creator of Dirty John and as a writer on Desperate Housewives. Hynes, for his part, has written several episodes of series such as Perry Mason and Rake. He also worked with Cunningham on Dirty John. Production on the reboot began in the summer. So far, no premiere date has been announced.
Although no official plot details have been announced, beyond that that the story will examine how an affair takes a violate turn once the woman refuses to let the man end things, it's been mentioned that the Fatal Attraction reboot will delve into themes of marriage and infidelity through a contemporary lens, while also examining modern attitudes towards women, mental health, and the concept of control in relationships. Based on what Caplan has said, the Paramount+ show won't give audiences the same Alex and Dan of the late 1980s.
Source: Grazia