New York: Rebel Wilson thought it was about time the 1988 Michael Caine-Steve Martin con-job comedy 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' got a gender-bending reboot with 'The Hustle'.
"This really is a classic comedy story and it has been told in a few different versions," explained the actress, referring both to 'Scoundrels' and the film that inspired it, the 1964 Marlon Brando-David Niven comedy 'Bedtime Story'.
"I thought, now is the time for women to play the two con artists in the film. Because it really makes sense, because men have been kind of conning women for decades."
The basic story follows two con artists -- one the suave master, the other a bumbling newcomer -- in the French Riviera where they seduce wealthy marks, and leave them considerably less wealthy.
Wilson, who served as one of 'The Hustle''s producers, was set on playing the bumbler and Anne Hathaway got wind of the project when she contacted screenwriter Jac Schaeffer for something unrelated.
"And she said, 'Oh, you know, I'm not available, actually,'" the Oscar-winning actress recalled.
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"I said, 'Oh. What are you doing?' She said, 'Oh, I'm working with Rebel Wilson right now.' I said, 'Oh my God. I love her. What are you doing?' She said, 'It's an adaptation of 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.' I was like, 'Who's the other scound-relle?' I guess. And she just said, 'Oh, we don't have someone yet.' I said 'So, who were you thinking of?' And she gave me a name and I said, 'No, that's not right. She can't play it.' And, so, I got off the phone with her and I called my agents and I said, 'There's a project that could be interesting, please track it.' And a few months later, I got the offer."
Schaeffer herself said the Hathaway-Wilson chemistry was undeniable.
"I think with the two of them, you know, you think of Anne as a dramatic actress, and you think of Rebel as a comedienne," Schaeffer explained.
"Rebel is actually terrific with dramatic material because she finds the truth in everything. And Annie is just a phenomenal comedic actress. So, I think it's that. I think it's that they are matched in those pieces. And they bring their entire arsenal. And, together, it's just combustible."
The film's soundtrack features a number of original songs, including the end-title track 'Badass Woman' by Meghan Trainor.
"As soon as I watched the movie they said, 'Are you inspired to write anything?' And all I could think of was, 'Badass. Badass woman.'" recalled Trainor.
"And Rebel and Anne Hathaway in this movie were just so intense and so funny and so smart in this entire movie. And I was like, 'I want a universal movie song, a big movie song that everyone can jam to -- from my grandmothers to young girls."
'The Hustle' is out in India on May 17.
With inputs from APTN
