Netflix is rebooting one of the most beloved action thrillers of the modern age. An action thriller led by Academy Award winner and Hollywood icon Denzel Washington, no less. The action thriller in question is 2004’s Man on Fire, and while very few details have been revealed since the reboot was announced back in 2023, star Bobby Cannavale has finally offered some “fantastic” hype alongside other details.
Speaking with MovieWeb’s own George Edelman, Cannavale, who is set to join forces with action hero Dave Bautista in next month’s Trap House, heaped praise on the Man on Fire reboot lead Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who takes over the role of former CIA agent John W. Creasy from Washington.
“Man on Fire is the Denzel movie from years ago that Netflix is turning into a series with a really, really fantastic actor, Yahya Mateen. He’s trying to protect his mentor. I play his mentor, the Chris Walken role in the movie, who trained him. So that’s what I’m playing in this movie is the guy who taught him everything he knows. I can’t say enough about him [Yahya]. That guy is a really, really fantastic actor.”
While continuing to keep some elements close to his chest, Cannavale did seemingly reveal that the Netflix series will walk a different path to the Denzel Washington movie, with Creasy using his particular set of skills to “protect his mentor,” played by Cannavale. While the 2004 outing hinges on Creasy’s relationship with his nine-year-old ward, Lupita “Pita” Ramos, played by Dakota Fanning, it sounds like the Netflix series will take a completely different approach. Which could be refreshing and could even ensure that the two Man on Fire outings work as companion pieces, with the series perhaps even being viewed as a prequel.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll Takes the Lead in Netflix’s ‘Man on Fire’ Reboot
The Man on Fire reboot series will consist of eight episodes, adapting both A.J. Quinnell’s books “Man on Fire” and “The Perfect Kill.” You can check out the official synopsis for the Netflix project below.
“In the new series, Abdul-Mateen II will lead as John Creasy, a once high-functioning and skilled Special Forces mercenary known for surviving even the most desolate of situations. Creasy is now plagued with intense PTSD. Determined to overcome his personal demons, he sets out on a path to redemption. But before he can adjust to this new life, he finds himself back in the fire, fighting harder than ever.”
Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll is best known for starring alongside Jason Momoa in the Aquaman franchise, as well as roles in The Trial of the Chicago 7, Candyman, The Matrix Resurrections, and Ambulance. The actor is no stranger to the small screen, having starred in the likes of Black Mirror and Watchmen, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as leading the upcoming Wonder Man from Marvel Studios.
Man on Fire has been adapted twice before for the big screen, first in 1987 and starring Scott Glenn as Creasy, and then again in 2004 with Denzel Washington and the late, great director Tony Scott. The latter effort remains a favorite among fans of both the actor and director, but proved divisive at the time, and now stands at just 39% from critics alongside 89% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Time will tell how the Man on Fire reboot fares, but it certainly has all the ingredients needed to become the next big Netflix action hit.
- Release Date
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April 23, 2004
- Runtime
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146 minutes