‘Mr. Robot’s’ Rami Malek, ‘Sons of Anarchy’s’ Charlie Hunnam To Star in ‘Papillon’ Remake

Rami Malek, the lead star of "Mr. Robot," is reportedly in talks to take a major role in the remake of "Papillon." If this pushes through, Malek will play as Louis Dega (originated by Dustin Hoffman), alongside the star of "Sons of Anarchy" Charlie Hunnam.

Rami Malek, whose career is currently on an upward trajectory, is negotiating to be part of the reboot of the classic 1973 film "Papillon," Deadline reported. Charlie Hunnam, meanwhile, will play Henri Charriere (originated by Steve McQueen). The remake is scheduled to start production next month, with Michael Noer at the helm. According to ComingSoon.net, filming location might include Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro and Thailand. Aaron Guizkowski wrote the script. Producers include Joey McFarland, Riza Aziz, David Koplan, Ram Bergman and Roger Corbi. Executive producers include Terrence Chang, Danny Dimbort, Martin Hellstern, Joshua D. Mauer, Christian Mercuri, Yan-Fischer-Romanovsky and Kevan Van Thompson.

The original "Papillon" film was released in 1973. It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner while Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr. wrote the screenplay. "Papillon" is based on the life Henri Charriere, who was convicted of the murder of a pimp in 1931. He was imprisoned in the Devil's Island, a penal colony in French Guiana in South America. He denied the crime and escaped in 1941 with the aid of a bag of coconuts as raft. He was known as "Papillon" because of his butterfly tattoo on his chest. In his determination to escape, he worked with Louis Dega, a notorious forger. Charriere protected Dega from other inmates and Dega later agreed to fund Papillon's escape.

In addition to Amazon Prime's "Mr. Robot," Rami Malek, 35, is known for "Night at the Museum" (2006), "Short Term 12" (2013), and "Need for Speed" (2014). Meanwhile, 36-year-old Charlie Hunnam's credits include "Pacific Rim" (2013), "Children of Men" (2006), and "Green Street Hooligans" (2005).