Hollywood producers have been given the go ahead to re-create the iconic crime movie Scarface.

Al Pacino in the 1983 cult movie Scarface (Courtesy Universal).

Universal has commissioned screenwriter Jonathan Herman to write a new version of the classic and reportedly Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain will direct the new production, while Marty Bregman the producer of the 1983 version is said to be involved in the re-creation.

For those who haven’t seen Scarface it tells the story of the rags-to-riches success of Cuban immigrant Tony Montana who who arrives in 1980s Miami with nothing and rises up to become a notorious drug kingpin.

Al Pacino’s portrayal of the movie’s main character secures it as a cult favorite, spawning a host of cultural references making the phrase “Say hello to my little friend,” one of the most iconic lines in cinema.

The new film will be set in Los Angeles and explore an immigrant’s rise in the criminal underworld and follow his emotions and journey as he rises to the top.