Coen brothers plan Ealing remake

Tom Hanks is set to star in a remake of Ealing comedy The Ladykillers, directed by the Coen Brothers.

The Oscar-winner is being lined up to take the bank robber role Sir Alec Guinness made famous in the 1955 black comedy.

In the original, a criminal gang, which also included Peter Sellers, holed up an elderly woman's home, and repeatedly tried, and failed, to kill her.

But Joel and Ethan Coen - whose credits include The Big Lebowski and Fargo - are planning to move the setting to America's Deep South.

Production is due to start early next year, Hollywood trade paper Variety reports.

To buy the original Ladykillers from Amazon

Published: 25 Sep 2002