Controversial genre director Eli Roth will direct Bruce Willis in the long-in-the-works remake of the revenge thriller "Death Wish."

The original 1974 pulp film led by Charles Bronson centered on a former pacifist who takes the law into his own hands after his wife is murdered and daughter is brutally assaulted by a gang of lowlifes. "Death Wish" drew ardent commentary from both the left and right for its apparent endorsement of vigilantism in a time of rampant city crime rates.

A "Death Wish" remake has been in the cards for some time now at Paramount Pictures and MGM, with Joe Carnahan ("Smokin' Aces," "The Grey") once attached to direct from a script by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, the writing duo responsible for "1408," and, most recently, "American Crime Story." Israeli filmmakers Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado were announced to direct March, but they too exited the project.

Roth's most recent release was the 2015 erotic thriller "Knock Knock," starring Keanu Reeves.

(via The Hollywood Reporter)