Ethan Hawke Joins 'Total Recall' Remake (Exclusive)

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke is boarding Total Recall, Columbia’s Colin Farrell-starring remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie.

The original movie, based on the Philip K. Dick story, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, followed a man haunted by a recurring dream of journeying to Mars who buys a literal dream vacation from a company called Rekall Inc., which sells implanted memories. The man comes to believe he is a secret agent and ends up on a Martian colony, where he fights to overthrow a despotic ruler controlling the production of air.

The new story ditches the Martian storyline and instead involves nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai, with Douglas Quaid (Farrell) a factory worker in the latter who begins to believe he is a spy, although he doesn't know for which side.

The movie has been casting up ahead of its June start in Toronto with Bryan Cranston playing the villain. Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel are in negotiations for the female leads.

Hawke’s role is being kept secret and it is cameo in nature.

The CAA-repped actor recently shot the Fox pilot Exit Strategy.