Vivica A. Fox isn’t into the idea of a Set If Off remake.
After it was announced back in September that ESSENCE cover star Issa Rae was in the early stages of developing a remake of the 1996 classic film, which she is also set to star in, Fox sounded off about the idea in a recent interview.
“It’s a classic, leave it alone,” she told ET Live. “There’s absolutely no reason to try to redo it. It’s been done, and we did it so well, that people are absolutely going to compare it to that and I think that’s her taking on a tremendous chore because that film has become a cult classic and some things are just better left.”
Set It Off, which also starred Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Kimberly Elise, centered on four friends who decide to rob banks in Los Angeles when they get down on their funds. Although initially successful, after one big bank robbery, their ring dissolves. (No spoilers here!)
Fox said that she believes Rae’s time would be better spent creating a new franchise.
“If you want to do a new film about girls robbing banks, create your own thing. You can make it up to date. We did that film in 1996. We are in 2019, going into 2020.”
The actress also warned Rae that “if it’s not good,” fans will “slay her for it…so, create your own thing…,” she advised.
The F. Gary Gray-directed film went on to gross more than $40 million at the global box office.