Netflix is remaking Tony Scott’s 2004 action thriller Man on Fire, and their casting replacement for the film’s original star, Denzel Washington, makes it a lot more exciting. Based on the 1980 novel of the same name by A.J. Quinnell, Man on Fire revolves around a Marine-turned-bodyguard named John Creasy who takes a job protecting a nine-year-old girl named Pita, played by Dakota Fanning. When Pita is kidnapped in Mexico City, Creasy goes on a roaring rampage of revenge to save her. It’s an explosive actioner and one of Washington’s best performances.
Quinnell’s novel was previously adapted into a film, also called Man on Fire, in 1987, starring Scott Glenn as Creasy. And now, it’s being adapted again as a Netflix original series. According to Netflix’s official announcement, the series will consist of eight episodes with the option to continue Creasy’s saga in a second season (if the first season does well). The announcement noted that Creed II’s Steven Caple, Jr. will direct the first two episodes. It also named the streamer’s casting choice to replace Washington – and he’s one of the finest actors working today.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Starring In Netflix’s Man On Fire Remake Is Hugely Exciting
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is the new John Creasy
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been cast to play the lead role of John Creasy – previously played by Washington and Glenn – in Netflix’s Man on Fire series. According to Netflix’s announcement, the series will focus on Creasy’s inner emotional journey as much as the external danger he gets himself into. As he tries to move on from a dark past as a Special Forces soldier, Creasy is looking for a fresh start. But he can’t get a fresh start until he confronts his personal demons. This sounds like it’ll be more inward-looking than the previous adaptation of Man on Fire.
This isn’t the only tantalizing TV project that Abdul-Mateen is working on. He’s also been cast to play the lead role of Simon Williams in Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man series on Disney+. Man on Fire seems like it’ll be a much darker series than Wonder Man. Whereas Wonder Man is aiming to be a lighthearted superhero show set around the world of showbusiness, Man on Fire is looking to be a violent action thriller about the abduction of an innocent child. Both shows will highlight Abdul-Mateen’s range, because he’s the perfect choice for Man on Fire.
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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Past Projects Prove He’s Perfect For Man On Fire
He can do high-octane action, but he can also do pathos and dramatic nuance
Abdul-Mateen’s previous projects prove that he’s the perfect choice for Man on Fire. What made Washington’s performance in Scott’s version of Man on Fire so compelling was that he elevated the character above a typical action hero. Washington brought real emotion to Creasy’s journey as he tried to leave his dark past behind, failed the little girl he was sworn to protect, and ruthlessly sought retribution. But the genius of his performance was that he did all that dramatic work while still delivering the goods as a badass action hero.
Based on the range of his past work, Abdul-Mateen will manage a similar balance. He proved he can handle action with his turns in Ambulance and the Aquaman movies, and he proved he can handle more serious dramatic fare with his nuanced performances in The Handmaid’s Tale and The Trial of the Chicago 7. He even proved he can tackle roles that were made iconic by other actors when he played Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections and Doctor Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen series, and made both roles his own.
How Netflix’s Man On Fire Can Improve Upon The Denzel Washington Movie
Washington’s Man on Fire was a great movie, but not perfect
While the Washington-starring Man on Fire was a great action movie, it was far from perfect. The tone of Man on Fire went a bit too grim. Its action was spectacular, courtesy of Scott, and its lead performance was captivating, courtesy of Washington, but it became an uncomfortable watch the longer it went on. And at a whopping 146 minutes, that was a long time to be uncomfortable. It’s important to bring some darkness to this story, given the subject matter, but it still has to be entertaining.
Netflix’s Man on Fire series should aim for a slightly lighter tone. It needs to maintain the darkness of the Washington movie, but it can’t lean so relentlessly into that darkness – especially because this new series will drag out the story for even longer. It should use that extra time to focus on Abdul-Mateen’s Creasy grappling with his past mistakes, rather than wallowing in the bleak reality of a child being abducted by dangerous criminals.
Source: Netflix
