The Bodyguard remake draws backlash from fans: ‘Leave it alone’

‘You can’t remake Whitney Houston, so why bother?’ one person protested

Fans of the 1992 romance film The Bodyguard have reacted in dismay to the news that the film is being remade.

Tony-nominated playwright Matthew Lopez has reportedly been hired by Warner Bros to write the screenplay for the new adaptation, with Chris Hemsworth, Channing Tatum, Tessa Thompson and Cardi B among those being considered for the lead roles.

The original film starred the late Whitney Houston as a successful actor and singer, and Kevin Costner as her bodyguard.

The Bodyguard received a mixed reception from critics upon its initial release, and was nominated for several Golden Raspberry awards.

However, it was praised for its now-famous soundtrack, and for Houston’s performance at the heart of the film.

People shared their thoughts about the reported remake on social media, with many criticising the idea.

“I have a lot of opinions about this. The biggest one: Leave it alone,” wrote one person.

“K so they definitely shouldn’t be doing a remake of The Bodyguard?? Like let Whitney Houston’s legacy be, maybe??” wrote another.

“Nobody asked for this, nobody wants this! It will always be Whitney Houston,” wrote someone else.

One Twitter user wrote that “we remember The Bodyguard only because it captured Whitney Houston at the absolute, incandescent supernova zenith of her stardom”.

“You can’t remake Whitney Houston, so why bother?” they added.

The film was previously adapted into a stage musical of the same name, which premiered in London’s West End in 2012.

Among the actors to play Houston’s role on stage are X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and soul singer Beverley Knight.