The Charlie’s Angels franchise has enjoyed one hell of a good run. The original series ran for five seasons on ABC from 1976 to 1981 and was a huge hit that helped launch Farrah Fawcett’s career. The property was then adapted for the big screen with 2000’s Charlie’s Angels (starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu) and its 2003 sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. Both films earned more than $250 million worldwide. Given the glut of reboots, re-imaginings and sequels in Hollywood these days, it should come as no surprise that another reboot is in the works.
Elizabeth Banks, who hit a homerun in her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, is attached to direct and now two new names have been floated up as potential stars. According to Variety, Kristen Stewart and Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o are both being eyed for lead roles. Sony (SONY) has begun the casting process and are hoping to nail down the two actresses as secret agents in Banks’ reboot.
Sony, which has had an uneven run over the last few years, is hoping Charlie’s Angels could be a new franchise for them. Getting Stewart and Nyong’o would help inspire some faith in those ambitions.
The Twilight star has rebuilt her career in recent years on the independent side and really developed as an actress, winning a Cesar Award (France’s version of an Oscar) in 2015. Her last major studio film was 2010’s disappointing Snow White and the Huntsman. She’ll next appear in Fox’s Underwater. Nyong’o, meanwhile, followed up her Oscar-winning turn in 2013’s 12 Years a Slave with motion-capture and voice work in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Jungle Book. She’ll next appear in Marvel’s Black Panther.
Stewart’s indie punk rock blase style is a marked departure from Diaz’s bubble optimism, but would pair nicely with Nyong’o’s natural gravitas. As we saw with Wonder Woman this summer, audiences are all for badass butt-kicking female heroes regardless of their style. No word yet on who might take on the third Angel role, but this is a good start.
The Charlie’s Angels reboot is expected to arrive in summer 2019.
