Films | Movies

Hollywood takes on Old Boy

Man on a mission: Will Smith to play the protagonist
in Hollywood’s version of Old Boy.

Steven Spielberg and Will Smith will be collaborating in a Hollywood version of Old Boy. Smith makes clear that this is not a remake of the Korean movie, but an adaptation from the original Japanese manga written by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya.

That said, Universal has already secured rights to a remake with Korean producers at Show East, Seoul, the company who distributed Park Chan-wook’s movie in 2003. Now Japanese publishers of the original manga are stepping in stating that Show East had no right to negotiate terms. The matter is further complicated by Show East’s shut down and its people are unreachable to iron out the legal scuffle.

We know Hollywood usually does what it wants. Pre-production has begun and we should expect to see Will Smith kick more butt sometime in 2010.

Old Boy is a dark, gritty tale of vengeance. A man is abducted and his wife murdered. Imprisoned in a makeshift prison for 15 years with only a TV for company, he is suddenly released and has 5 days to avenge his wife’s murder.

Park Chan-wook’s 2003 gem became a cult hit and went on to win the Grand Prix at The Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Read our review of Old Boy.

Pic Credit: IMDB

Source:
The Hollywood Reporter
Slash film

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4 thoughts on “Hollywood takes on Old Boy

  • ^ Agree have yet to see a hollywood remake of an asian film that even comes close to the original but hten again hollywood ran out of ideas years ago

  • zero to nine

    What?! Remake? Why?
    Doesn't Hollywood know that Old Boy is movie that should never be touched again?

    It's like Gone With The Wind. You can't remake movies like that.

  • I really have to start watching this movie soon.. I've never felt like watching it 'cause I don't like scary/disgusting movies, which is quite my impression of it judging from the short clips I've seen, though I know it's really awesome of course.

    Hmm, Will Smith is cool so it's nice and funny in a way that he got the main role. 😀

  • wow this gonna be cool
    i personally love Old Boy!
    gonna check it out 🙂

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