Blue Thunder reboot takes off at Sony

Columbia Pictures plans a hi-tech relaunch and plans to upgrade the hardware from a helicopter to a drone.

In a move that looks to acknowledge modern surveillance issues, Sony is looking to bring its 1983 hit bang up to date by replacing the police vehicle of the title. Blue Thunder originally featured a state-of-the-art helicopter being used by a desperate police force to subdue urban crime which was running rife. Piloting was Roy Scheider, with the action followed his exploits both on and off the ground.

The film was itself turned into a short-lived TV series featuring a pre-Wayne’s World Dana Carvey amongst its cast. Blue Thunder was part of a slew of vehicle-based action television which included the far more successful helicopter hit Airwolf.

Taking on writing duties on the new version will be Craig Kyle, who has previously worked on several Marvel projects.

Drone-based films are set to be all the rage, with Ethan Hawke starring in Good Kill next month as well as numerous other projects from documentaries to Gavin Hood’s Eye in the Sky also on the way.