Spielberg to set up "Oldboy" remake with Will Smith?!

[_____V_____]

November 7, 2008


Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in early discussions to collaborate on a remake of Chan Wook-park's "Oldboy."

DreamWorks is in the process of securing the remake rights, and the new pic will be distributed by Universal.

In the 2003 Korean original, a man gets kidnapped and held in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. Suddenly, he's released and given money, a cell phone and clothes and is set on a path to discover who destroyed his life so he can take revenge.

Spielberg had been looking for an opportunity to make a film with Smith, who would play the kidnapped man if all the pieces fall into place. Spielberg is looking for a writer to begin the development process.

The film was originally set at Universal and then found its way to Mandate.

Spielberg is next expected to direct "Tintin."

[ManchestrMorgue]

I really can't get past the point that Hollywood insists on remaking the very films that least need a remake.

As I have said before, I would be all for remakes of films that had an interesting, original premise, but didn't execute well.

But Hollywood loves to go with the safe bet, and remakes those very films that they can't possibly do justice to. For example, The Wicker Man, Halloween, TCM, and many others.

I shouldn't write off a film before it's even started being made, but if history has taught me anything...

[The_Return]

Somehow I doubt the ending will be intact here...

Spoilers: That said, I'd love to see Will Smith reailse that he's been bangin' his kid.

[neverending]

This is as bad an idea as the 3 Stooges thing....

[_____V_____]

As I have said before, I would be all for remakes of films that had an interesting, original premise, but didn't execute well.

There are literally dozens of movies from the 50s onwards which had a great premise but failed to do well at the BO or suffered from bland and mis-guided direction.

If only they looked at them from a creative angle, and not just the money-spinning stuff. Its getting to the point of every remake being disgraceful.

[Painfulldeath]

This is rubbish. I hope they at least change it up a little. I have no interest of seeing a shot-for-shot remake. At least they chose a good lead actor...

[Despare]

Park didn't hate the idea of a remake at first but I doubt if he envisioned this crew!

[Painfulldeath]

I guess I'll just have very low expectations so my feelings won't get hurt.

[ChronoGrl]

I heard about this today. It makes me angry. And I hope Spielberg dies in a fire.

[jenna26]

I'm usually not surprised by remake news, but this actually does surprise me a bit for some reason. Its such an incredibly bad idea, that I just don't even know what to say.

[ferretchucker]

Why do hollywood insist on butchering asian flicks?

[chaibill]

So Will Smith read a script where this happens doing your daughter you haven't seen in 15 years and cutting out your tongue and staying with her and thought yeah i think this is great. I think it will be changed a lot.
Are there any american remakes that are good. They should let the italians do them like the Man with no name trilogy.

[Papillon Noir]

I don't think the average american would go for this movie. It's pretty extreme, but if they try to tone it down I think it will just come off lame. And the original is just so good, why screw with this? I swear, they will remake Citizen Kane next.

[roshiq]

This is as bad an idea as the 3 Stooges thing....

Agree.

I didn't expect anything like this from Spielberg. It's really sad to see that he's badly having an idea crisis for a movie plot.

Anyway, now I'm quite pretty sure that movies like Battle Royale and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance may be somewhere in pipeline in someones mind in Hollywood.:rolleyes:

Spielberg is next expected to direct "Tintin."

This is at least a tolerable news.:)

[doctor satan]

Can't believe theirs people on here saying this is a good idea.......Spirlberg & Smith:mad:
I'm totally sick of all the inferior remakes of Asian films for retarded dunb fucks who can't read subtitles, if someone can name a superior remake i'll stand corrected!

[neverending]

I don't think the concept of superiority even comes into it- it's purely an economic decision.

[_____V_____]

Update


According to THR, Mark Protosevich - who wrote the first draft of I Am Legend - is in talks to write the film where a man gets kidnapped and held in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. Suddenly, he's released and given money, a cell phone and clothes and is set on a path to discover who destroyed his life so he can take revenge.

[Painfulldeath]

Sounds like it's official. I'm depressed. :(

[_____V_____]

November 21, 2008


Hot on the heels of news that I Am Legend scribe Mark is to pen the screenplay for the Stephen Spielberg/Will Smith Oldboy movie, it seems that 'Big Willie' has finally spilled the beans about what we should expect from the project.

Apparently, the film won't be a direct remake of the movie, but rather an adaptation of the original graphic novel on which it was based.

"We're looking at that right now," Smith told Film School Rejects on the red carpet for his new film, Seven Pounds. "Not the film though, the original source material.

He continued, "There's the original comics of 'Oldboy' that they made the first film from. And that's what we're working from, not an adaptation of the film."

Oldboy is an 8-volume manga series written by Garon Tsuchiya and illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi. It was originally published from 1996-1998.

Will this be enough to ease the fears of fans of the Korean film?

[re93animator]

At least they got someone as good as Spielberg looking to direct. Im the only person in the world that tries to look at the positives of remakes.:rolleyes:

[The Mothman]

The thing about Oldboy that really blew me away was the hallway fight sequence. unless Will Smith can pull off something like that, im not interested.

[mikeyjay88]

Once again hollywood cant think of anything new. I'm so tired of remakes especially remakes on movies that shouldnt be messed with. Plus i cant stand will smith. I just dont watch remakes anymore i tried with halloween but that was about as bad as they get.

[milktoaste]

I just read this on Wired, if it's true I'm going to start breaking inanimate objects in a fit of rage!

Spielberg and Will Smith May Redo Bloody Oldboy
By Hugh Hart November 07, 2008 | 2:47:57 PMCategories: Movies

After he directs British schoolboy comic Tintin, Steven Spielberg is casting his gaze overseas to far darker material. The filmmaker is reportedly in talks to remake Korean revenge drama Oldboy with Will Smith in the lead.

Winner of the 2004 Cannes Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, director Chan Wook-park's manga-based thriller became an art house hit. Beautifully shot, the original Oldboy tells a gripping tale about a Seoul businessman (played by Min-sik Choi, pictured) who gets kidnapped and tossed into a cell for 15 years by unseen captors for no apparent reason. Escaping at last, he follows a trail of clues to avenge his tormentors.

Oldboy would mark the first collaboration between Spielberg and Smith. Variety reports that Spielberg is now looking for a writer to develop a script for American audiences.

[Angra]

3 years ago i read on IMDB that Oldboy was being remade with Danny Glover in the lead role. Don't remember the director tho.

Well, that project got cancelled obviously.

[Taom]

What the flying (*&^?!?!?!

Oldboy is great, this Idea is crap. (Haven't posted in forever, should probally give the rules a quick once through so I remember what language I can get away with) Nothing against Will Smith, but the material just isn't his forte. Aren't we all way passed tired of remakes by now? (Yeah, I'm going to see F13 this Friday, but It's Jason, I can't help it)

The MPAA would absolutely freak about the father/daughter relationship in the flick. Can you imagine Big Willie watching the original film and agreeing to this?

[ChronoGrl]

In case anyone is as obsessed with this debacle as I am...

Apparently Will Smith passed on the role (as did Daniel Craig)... And right now it's currently on Josh Brolin's (what???) plate.

Also, the director cap has been removed from Spielberg and placed on the head of Spike Lee.

As for our bad guy? Apparently Colin Firth (WHAT???) was offered the role (PUKE) but it may be Clive Owen or Christian Bale who fulfills it.

slashfilm.com:

http://www.slashfilm.com/clive-owen-spike-lees-oldboy-bad-guy/

Also, Lee claims that his ending will be "darker."

Says Lee:

The ending will be something that the audiences will all be…especially the fans of the original will be very happy with. In fact, some may consider it to be a bit darker.

http://www.slashfilm.com/details-revealed-spike-lees-version-oldboy/

"Darker"? REALLY?!

I'm a bit flummoxed at this claim, and it makes me want to barf.

At lease I do have some faith in Lee (over Spielberg), but honestly I don't understand how this movie can possibly be remade. :mad:

My only consolation is that I hope that this remake has filled the pockets of Chan Wook Park so that he can finance his next great film.

[Straker]

As for our bad guy? Apparently Colin Firth (WHAT???) was offered the role (PUKE) but it may be Clive Owen or Christian Bale who fulfills it.


Really not liking the idea of any of those guys in that role...