Six years have passed since “Miss Bala” landed at the Cannes Film Festival, and made quite the impression (we loved it). The gritty thriller put director Gerardo Naranjo on the map – he’s since directed episodes of “The Bridge,” “Narcos,” and “Fear The Walking Dead,” and has “Viena and the Fantomes” starring Dakota Fanning in the can – and also launched the career of Stephanie Sigman (who appeared in “The Bridge” , “Narcos,” and was a Bond girl in “Spectre“). All that being said, “Miss Bala” only did modest business in limited release, so of course a remake is happening.
Catherine Hardwicke has been tapped to helm the redo, which will be penned by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. The original film centered on an aspiring beauty queen who is tragically drawn into the world of Mexico’s drug cartels after her friend goes missing. The remake will essentially cover the same terrain, following a young woman who is also drawn into the underworld when her pal disappears in Tijuana.
READ MORE: Mexico Selects The Acclaimed ‘Miss Bala’ As Their Foreign Film Oscar Entry
Obviously, this film doesn’t need to be remade, and if you haven’t seen the original “Miss Bala,” track it down. It’s gripping, bleak, and tremendous stuff. A more Hollywood version has a tough hill to climb to match its predecessor, and we’re optimistic, but we’re curious nonetheless. [THR]
