Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek have big shoes to fill in the first trailer of 'Papillon' remake

Image from Variety

By Darian Scalamoni

            It’s a shame that post-Sons of Anarchy, Charlie Hunnam hasn’t become the household name that he was supposed to become. Maybe it’s choice in roles but though he has starred in films for directors such as Guillermo del Toro and Guy Ritchie, nothing has truly stuck for him like Jax Teller. His new film, Papillon, unfortunately looks to be in the same underwhelming company.

            The first trailer for the remake of the classic 1973 movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen stars Hunnam and Rami Malek in the same roles portrayed by them. Hunnam plays the titular character, a Parisian safecracker who is framed for murder and thrown in jail at a horrible penal colony. While he’s there, he meets a white-collar criminal, Louis Dega, who comes from a rich lineage who could help fund his escape.

            Though Malek looks to be the movie’s saving grace, it doesn’t appear that this new movie will be a big hit for Hunnam. Malek is getting major exposure with his role in the USA Network drama, Mr. Robot and portraying Freddie Mercury in the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody coming in December.

            The movie premiered at TIFF in 2017 and is directed by Michael Noer and is written by Aaron Guzikowski, who wrote Prisoners. The film will be released worldwide on August 24^th.