Peter Baynham has been set by Warner Bros. to write "Arthur," a remake of the 1981 comedy that is being crafted as a vehicle for Russell Brand to play the lovable lush.
Baynham was one of Sacha Baron Cohen's screenwriting cohorts on "Borat," and he collaborated with Baron Cohen once again on the upcoming "Bruno."

"Arthur" is being produced by Larry Brezner and Benderspink.

Brezner produced the original, which was written and directed by Steve Gordon and starred Dudley Moore as a boozy playboy whose plan to marry into a moneyed family goes awry when he falls in love with a working class gal.

Brand had his film breakthrough in the Universal comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." He reprises his role as musician Aldous Snow in another U comedy, "Get Him to the Greek."

Benderspink partners Chris Bender and J.C. Spink are also executive producers on "Leap Year," the Harry Elfont/Deborah Kaplan-scripted Spyglass comedy.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000596.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Once again, Hollywood is showing its lack of original ideas.

This is the kind of story that ruins my day.

What a horrible idea for a remake.

I guess I'm alone, but I like remakes. I see them as tributes, and I enjoy seeing a good movie again with different actors. Many of the movies of the last 20 years are remakes from the 50s and 60s. The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Women (several times), Invasion of The Body Snatchers, lots of King Kong, Jane Eyre - over and over, 12 Angry Men,The Titanic (in a sense). I don't know who Russell Brand is, but I see Hugh Grant as a good Arthur.