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Timothée Chalamet’s ascent in Hollywood seems unstoppable, marked by his impressive performances in intense dramas like “Call Me By Your Name” and the expansive sci-fi epic “Dune.” In 2024, he took on the role of Bob Dylan in the biographical film “A Complete Unknown,” which garnered him a second Oscar nomination. This success has caught the attention of NBA player Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who suggested Chalamet should explore directing, even volunteering to feature in his directorial debut. In a surprising twist, Chalamet proposed a different idea — remaking the classic Denzel Washington film “Training Day,” with Edwards starring in the lead role.
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The 2001 thriller “Training Day,” directed by Antoine Fuqua, stars Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, both of whom received Oscar nominations, with Washington winning his first Oscar. The plot follows veteran LAPD narcotics officer Alonzo Harris, played by Washington, as he evaluates rookie officer Jake Hoyt, portrayed by Hawke, over an intense 12-hour shift. As the film approaches its 25th anniversary, the timing seems ripe for a remake, especially given the ongoing discourse on police misconduct. Chalamet envisions Edwards taking on the role of Harris, while he would portray Hoyt, stepping into the shoes once filled by Hawke.
Though not a massive blockbuster, “Training Day” left an indelible mark with its raw depiction of law enforcement in Los Angeles and the moral dilemmas faced by officers. It remains a benchmark in the genre of police films. While it didn’t spawn a direct sequel, a TV adaptation emerged featuring Bill Paxton and Justin Cornwell, set five years after the original’s events. The series concluded following Paxton’s passing in 2017. A few years later, a prequel film was announced, exploring the origins of the story.
In 2019, the studio enlisted writer Nick Yarborough to craft a screenplay for a prequel set nearly a decade before the original, against the backdrop of the 1992 L.A. Riots after the Rodney King verdict. Titled “Training Day: Day of the Riot,” the project received an update in 2022 but has since seen little progress. With the prequel still in development and Chalamet and Edwards keen on a remake, there’s a real possibility of seeing Edwards as a young Alonzo Harris, potentially directed by Chalamet. The future remains open to such exciting possibilities.
Training Day has a prequel in development
Warner Bros.
While “Training Day” wasn’t a blockbuster, it was a hit in theaters and became a classic with its gritty portrayal of cop life in L.A. and the moral complexities of policing — and it remains one of the best cop movies ever made to this day. While it never did get a sequel movie, there was a TV spin-off of the series starring Bill Paxton and Justin Cornwell, as two L.A. cops in a sequel story set five years after the film. The series ended after Paxton’s death in 2017, but about two years after the show came to a close, word came out that a prequel to “Training Day” was in development as a feature film.
In 2019, it was reported that the studio had commissioned writer Nick Yarborough to pen the script to a film set almost a decade prior to the original — amid the historic 1992 L.A. Riots that followed the verdict in the trial of Rodney King. The prequel film received an update in 2022 with an official title: “Training Day: Day of the Riot,” but there has been little news of it since. With the sequel still under pre-production, and Chalamet and Edwards both interested in a remake, could there be potential for NBA star Anthony Edwards to star as a younger Alonzo Harris, with Chalamet behind the camera? Only time will tell.
