Idris Elba was set to direct a production of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame for Netflix – but is the remake still happening? Published in 1831, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame is a classic Gothic novel penned by French writer Victor Hugo that’s set in 15th century Paris. It tells the tragic tale of Quasimodo – the kindhearted, physically deformed bell ringer of the titular cathedral – and a beautiful, ill-fated Romani dancer named Esmeralda that he falls in love with.
Hugo’s work has been adapted for film and TV several times. The best-known adaptation is probably Disney’s The Hunchback Of Notre Dame – an animated 1996 adventure that features the voices of Tom Hulce and Demi Moore. Other adaptations include a 1923 silent film starring Lon Chaney as Quasimodo and a 1997 TV movie featuring Mandy Patinkin in the title role. In 2018, British actor Idris Elba – fresh from making his directorial debut with Yardie – announced his plans to tackle the classic text in a film for Netflix.
Idris Elba’s The Hunchback Of Notre Dame was set to be a modern retelling and he was going to wear many hats for the Netflix adaptation; not only was Elba going to star in and direct the movie, but produce it and score the music too. There haven’t been many updates on the project since 2018, however, so is Idris Elba’s Hunchback Of Notre Dame movie remake still on the cards? Here’s what we know.
Idris Elba’s Hunchback Of Notre Dame Probably Isn’t Happening
Given the lack of updates from either Netflix or Idris Elba, it would seem their modern adaptation of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame is no longer in development. It looks like Elba currently has a little too much on his plate to be tackling a Hunchback Of Notre Dame remake too.
Alongside acting roles in the upcoming action movies Heads Of State and Stay Frosty, Elba recently signed a first-look deal to produce original content for Apple TV+ through his production company Green Door Pictures. He’s also set to team up with Crunchyroll to produce an Afro-futurist fantasy anime series titled Dantai.
Disney’s Hunchback Of Notre Dame Remake Could Be Why
Just a few months after Netflix’s and Idris Elba’s The Hunchback Of Notre Dame was announced, news broke that Disney was set to produce a live-action remake of its beloved 1996 animated version. Considering how successful Disney’s recent live-action remakes of its classic animations have been, it could be the case that Elba and Netflix didn’t fancy competing with the giant that is the House of Mouse and so decided to abandon their Hunchback Of Notre Dame movie plans. This has yet to be confirmed, however.
