Captain Blood Remake Finds Writer

Screenwriter John Brownlow has been hired to pen Warner Bros.’ upcoming remake of the classic swashbuckler flick Captain Blood. The project’s being developed by Phillip Noyce (The Bone Collector) with an eye toward directing.

Errol Flynn starred in the 1935 original as a doctor wrongly sentenced to slavery in the Caribbean, where he and his comrades become avenging pirates. It was nominated for the best picture Oscar, losing to MGM’s Mutiny on the Bounty starring Clark Gable.

The film was based on the Rafael Sabatini novel and was directed by Michael Curtiz, who also received an Oscar nomination. Olivia de Havilland and Lionel Atwill co-starred.

Brownlow wrote 2003’s Sylvia, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig. He also has several projects in development , including Sabbatical at Disney, with Jennifer Garner attached to star; The Hero at Miramax, with Julian Farino attached to direct; and the adaptation of the action-thriller book The Phoenix at Universal.

Bill Gerber (Gran Torino, What a Girl Wants) is producing the update.