Spike Lee Confirmed to be Directing 'Oldboy' Remake
Two projects confirmed in one day
While details when it comes to filming schedules and actors are left off the press release, Mandate Pictures announced today that Spike Lee (Inside Man) will direct Oldboy, a remake of Chan-wook Park's highly-acclaimed South Korean film. Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, Thor) has adapted the screenplay and will co-produce. Mandate President Nathan Kahane will executive produce and was quoted in the release saying, "It's a great honor to put this special project into the hands of such a gifted writer and iconic director."
The rumor that Lee would direct started only last Wednesday and just this morning we learned Lee was just starting to shoot a new project titled Red Hook Summer in which the helmer would direct as well as reprise his role as Mookie from his 1989 breakout feature Do the Right Thing.
Oldboy tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned on his daughter's birthday. For fifteen years, he is held captive, and, upon his release, must begin his journey to find the reason for his imprisonment. He soon finds out that his kidnapper has plans for him more tortuous than his solitary confinement. The original film, released in 2003, directed by Chan-wook Park won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. Park's film was based on the Japanese manga of the same name written by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya. There is no word yet on how closely Protosevich's script sticks to the manga compared to Park's feature.
Previously Will Smith and director Steven Spielberg were eying the project and then Danny Boyle and Matthew Vaughn were among other names mentioned after Spielberg and Smith dropped out. The first time I reported on it was back in 2008.
It seems a bit odd Lee was recently quoted talking about how hard it is to get the money to get a movie made after not having made a feature film since 2008's Miracle at St. Anna and in one day we learn he has two projects he's attached to. Man, sure sounds rough.
For those unfamiliar with Park's Oldboy, here is my favorite scene from that flick:
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I wonder if Will Smith will come back to this project?? I would prefer someone like Christian Bale or Brad Pitt.
I didn't care for the original movie so hopefully I'll like Spike Lee's version better.
This is one of those films that just doesn't need to be translated for the western audiences. The original film in my honest opinion is a masterpiece.
Seconded
Agreed.
There's nothing wrong with remakes. All movies should be remade. Filming a script or adapting a book is a form of interpretation and we encourage different interpretations don't we?
Saying you don't want a remake is like saying only Vincent Van Gogh is allowed to paint a picture of a flower or Picasso is only allowed to paint a nude woman. Or only one person is allowed to stage a Shakespeare play.
Wow dude. Does it hurt when you stretch that much?
You're so right!
I always dreamed that they'd remake Casablanca, but set in L.A. and with Robert Pattinson taking Humphrey Bogart's role and Megan Fox taking Ingrid Bergman's.
I think they would exemplify that classic love story perfectly!
Huh? Your justification for why remakes should be made is pathetic. No wonder there so much mediocrity in Hollywood. You don't know excellence when you see it and attitudes like that are so laughable that having an opinion like yours is an equal time waster as is paying and seeing a remake.
Jackie Earle Haley for me