A Vertigo remake is officially in the works with Robert Downey Jr. being eyed to star. Released in 1958, the iconic psychological thriller, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starred James Stewart as a private investigator suffering from the titular condition and an extreme fear of heights who is hired to trail an acquaintance's wife exhibiting erratic behavior. Today, Vertigo is considered one of the influential filmmaker's most defining works and frequently ranks among the greatest films of all time.

Now, a remake of Hitchcock's important classic Vertigo is officially in the works at Paramount, per Deadline. Downey Jr. is being eyed for the role of the private investigator previously played by Stewart. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, who just signed on to write a Star Wars film, will write the script for the Vertigo remake.

Does Vertigo Really Need To Be Remade?


Though Vertigo received mixed reviews upon its initial release, it is now not only considered a classic Hitchcock film, but one of the greatest movies ever made. One of Vertigo's particular contributions to cinema was the innovation of the dolly zoom, which Hitchcock used to create the disorienting effect of the main character's acrophobia. The in-camera effect went on to become known as "the Vertigo effect" and has been used by numerous other filmmakers, most notably Steven Spielberg in Jaws.

All in all, Vertigo holds up today as a well-crafted classic and a highly influential film. A remake, even from an accomplished screenwriter and leading man like Knight and Downey Jr., is sure to cause controversy and raise legitimate questions about its necessity. The project seemingly has the support of the Hitchcock Estate, who favored the film's original studio Paramount as the landing spot for the Vertigo remake.

Downey Jr. hasn't had much success since leaving his career-defining role as Tony Stark/Iron Man behind, as his follow-up Dolittle reboot was a critical and commercial flop. However, he is expected to turn it around with the HBO limited series The Sympathizer. Even if the Vertigo remake fails to live up to Hitchcock's masterpiece, it should act as a serviceable star vehicle for Downey Jr., whose performance as the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, was met with much acclaim.