The remake of Korean classic OLDBOY will be here before the end of the year, but that’s not the only film from Park Chan Wook’s back catalogue that’s getting a revamp. In fact, his entire vengeance trilogy is getting an English language going-over. Next up will be the remake to first installment of aforementioned trilogy, and my personal favourite, SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, and we now have a director attached to the project.
Hany Abu-Assad, director of the wonderful PARADISE NOW, will step behind the camera to retell the tale of two men mixed up in a deadly game of revenge. A deaf and mute man kidnaps his bosses daughter in order to pay for his sister’s kidney transplant after one of his kidneys is stolen. Unfortunately he kidnaps the wrong girl and after a tragic event, the girl’s father is in pursuit of him. It’s a very in-depth study of revenge that shows its destructive nature. It is also very grim and dark.
We’ll find out soon if Spike Lee has injected enough personality into OLDBOY to justify its remake, but I must say that Abu-Assad seems the better choice. Having won the Jury Prize at Cannes for his most recent film OMAR, isn’t hurting. SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE will be written by Brian Tucker, known for BROKEN CITY. William Monahan is also currently scripting a SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE remake to star Charlize Theron.
Source: The Wrap
