There haven’t been a whole lot of American remakes of South Korean films, but the most high profile was easily Spike Lee‘s “Oldboy.” His take on Park Chan-wook‘s audacious thriller missed the mark, for a variety of reason, but primarily because Lee just couldn’t put his own stamp on the material the way the South Korean filmmaker did. Now, another cult favorite is gearing up for a Hollywood redo, and if history is any indication, caution is advisable.
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Michael B. Jordan has signed up to star in the remake of Kim Jee-Woon‘s “A Bittersweet Life.” The story follows a mob enforcer who puts his own life on the line when he refuses to kill his boss’ mistress, forcing him to go on the run. Jennifer Yuh Nelson (“Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Kung Fu Panda 3“) is the somewhat surprising choice to direct the picture, though she’s currently filming the sci-fi thriller “The Darkest Minds,” so clearly she’s ready to move on from family-friendly animated fare. There’s no word on who is writing the script, but of course, just like everything else these days, “A Bittersweet Life” is being eyed as a potential franchise.
It all seems to be in early stages, and there’s no word yet on when this might get in front of cameras. However, the filmmakers will have a high bar to clear if they want to get this right. [Deadline]