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[PhoncipleBone]

http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/remake-of-john-woos-the-killer-underway/#more-102227

Hollywood has long wanted to remake John Woo's Hong Kong action classic The Killer and I was always kind of happy when past attempts fell apart because I've yet to see an assassin as cool as Chow Yun-Fat was in the 1989 original. To me, it's almost like trying to remake The Godfather or some other sacrosanct picture considered best in its genre, even though its balletic violence and over the top gunplay informed so many movies, including The Matrix. Now it looks like a remake will happen, in 3D no less (will the flying doves be enhanced with that technology?) At least Woo is involved for some quality control as the picture mobilizes for sales at Berlin.

Los Angeles, 31 January 2011: Essential Entertainment has joined Lion Rock Productions in its remake of THE KILLER in 3D, currently in pre-production, which will be directed by John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember, Saying Good-bye Oneday) and written by Josh Campbell. Jung Woo-Sung (Reign of Assassins, The Good, The Bad, The Weird) will star in this English language re-telling of John Woo’s iconic action masterpiece, with additional cast to be announced shortly. The film will be produced by Woo (Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II) and Terence Chang under their Lion Rock Productions banner. Essential Entertainment will be handling worldwide sales.

Producer John Woo said: “While all my films are special to me, THE KILLER is truly one of my favorites. We are thrilled to reinvent it as an English-language film and know it’s in capable hands by the incredible visual style and tender emotion John H. Lee brings to all his films.”

John Fremes, President of Worldwide Distribution at Essential Entertainment said: “John Woo’s THE KILLER is one of the most influential and classic action films of all-time. The 3D version will no doubt appeal to fans of the original as well as capture a new generation of enthusiasts.”

Set in present day, an elite Asian assassin risks everything to protect a beautiful singer that he unintentionally blinded, but can only do so with the help of an LAPD detective who is trying to catch him.

THE KILLER in 3D was brought into Essential Entertainment by attorney Howard Frumes from Alexander, Nau, Lawrence, Frumes, & Labowitz, LLP.

Lion Rock Productions has also independently produced, in addition to its numerous studio films, RED CLIFF, the highest grossing film in China at the time of its release, as well as the upcoming martial arts swordplay drama REIGN OF ASSASSINS, released by The Weinstein Company.

In addition to THE KILLER in 3D, Essential Entertainment is handling the international sales on Barney’s Version, The Expatriate, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, The Music Never Stopped, and Red Dog, which will have its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival— screening in competition as part of Generation 14plus.

Personally, I think this is a TERRIBLE idea. Americanizing it for one thing, but why do we need it in 3D? 3D doves flying out of the screen?

And who the hell thinks they can out cool Chow Yun Fat from back then? I might be marginally interested in this if Chow Yun Fat were reprising the role for the remake, but it is not so. Next up they will probably Americanize Hard Boiled and do a bad job at it.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

What. The. Fuck?!


It's John Woo and mother'fn Chow Yun Fat!

What dumbass would even think they can be half as cool and badass as Chow Yun Fat in his element?

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Bad Idea. That said, Woo is producing so there shouldn't be THAT much of a problem as long as he supervises everything.

 

[Funky Papa]

Good grief, Hollywood, stop remaking and resetting everything.

 

[samus i am]

 

[Discotheque]

Fucking bullshit. The only good thing to come out of this would be a proper HD release of The Killer (new Bluray sucks)

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Fucking bullshit. The only good thing to come out of this would be a proper HD release of The Killer (new Bluray sucks)

Or perhaps people that never heard of the original seeking it out. Hopefully.

 

[Mecha_Infantry]

Fuck off

 

[Decado]

PG-13

I'm calling it

 

[dream]

You gotta be kidding me...

Who could they even cast in the role of "an elite Asian assassin?"

oh god what if it's Jay Chou or Edison Chen

 

[totoro'd]

ohhh I love Jung Woo-Sung

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

 

[Discotheque]

I've seen Good, the Bad and the Weird.

That dude doesn't even have 5 percent of the Chow Yun Fat swag. But it's not just that, remaking this classic is offensive. I was hoping it would end with that equally shitty Lethal Weapon reboot announcement. They want to ruin the 80s.

 

[see5harp]

I actually think it's a great idea (not the 3d part). John Woo is producing and getting a young stud to play the lead is a good idea. The film remains John Woo's best film however it's been pretty dated for the better part of a decade now. I really wouldn't mind Woo getting dropped entirely though. Make the entire filming staff Korean and give them some decent script writers.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

You gotta be kidding me...

Who could they even cast in the role of "an elite Asian assassin?"

In the OP. Jung Woo-Sung.

Sorry, he aint a tenth as awesome as this man:

 

[Dresden]

Jung isn't bad, but he's no Chow.

Those are some big boots to fill.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Lets all be honest though, we're all going to watch this.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

Lets all be honest though, we're all going to watch this.

Maybe I will. That being said, I'm dry heaving as I type this.

 

[dream]

Oops, sorry, I was so enraged that I completely didn't read the casting part.

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

...I'm shaking in anger. The Killer > Hard Boiled. And I love Hard Boiled.

 

[Bleepey]

I thought Replacement Killers was supposed to be a remake or at least a homage to the Killer. Remake being used very loosely. Also i doubt anyone will ever hold a gun like Chow Yun Fat* reminices about Stranglehold.

As for Killer or Hard Boiled. The Killer was the better story but Hard Boiled had so much mroe emotion than the Killer even if a bit more cheesy. As for action, Hard Boiled set pieces win.

 

[the_log_ride]

Is nothing sacred?

 

[swoon]

They should use that old Walter Hill script from the early 90s from when he try to remake it.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Who knows, Woo action might end up looking awesome in 3D.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

3D?

Fuck you Hollywood

 

[ChoklitReign]

Is this a better movie than Hard Boiled? I loved the action scenes but after the best one (in the "automobile plant") the plot fell flat and I stopped watching.

 

[Bleepey]

Is this a better movie than Hard Boiled? I loved the action scenes but after the best one (in the "automobile plant") the plot fell flat and I stopped watching.

Yes, well i think so. Look at my prior post.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Besides The Killer and Hard Boiled, I've always liked the A Better Tomorrow movies, since it's a slow 2-movie buildup to one of the most ridiculously over the top final action scenes ever.

 

[Blackace]

Bad Idea. That said, Woo is producing so there shouldn't be THAT much of a problem as long as he supervises everything.

uh.. I take it you have never seen Once a Thief remake..

Remake BlackJack in 3D!!!

 

[Bleepey]

Face off's probably the best.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Love The Killer, but ambivalent towards this. Maybe if they had gotten Byung Hun Lee instead of the other guy from The Good, The Bad and The Weird then this could be a winner.

 

[Discotheque]

Face off's probably the best.

Of his American movies? Yeah for sure.

That's what you meant right...I hope.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

You know what? If this is 3D I'll bet we can count out there being any good pyrotechnics. They'll just CG all that stuff.

 

[Blackace]

Besides The Killer and Hard Boiled, I've always liked the A Better Tomorrow movies, since it's a slow 2-movie buildup to one of the most ridiculously over the top final action scenes ever.

A Better Tomorrow 2 is insane..

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

A Better Tomorrow 2 is insane..

OPEN YOU MOUTH AND EAT THE MOUTHERFUCKING RICE!

 

[Bleepey]

Of his American movies? Yeah for sure.

That's what you meant right...I hope.

I prefer it to the Killer which might be my number two. Hard Boiled's story is a bit shit and cheesy. Stranglehold would be number 1 but it ain't a movie.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Is this a better movie than Hard Boiled? I loved the action scenes but after the best one (in the "automobile plant") the plot fell flat and I stopped watching.

So you stopped watching before the utterly crazy hospital scene at the end? Thirty minutes or so of balls to the wall gunfights?

 

[J. M. Romeo]

Beyond ridiculous but hey, just as with every other remake nobody is gonna kick our doors down and take our copies of The Killer.

In fact, I will rewatch mine soon with the new girlfriend. See if she likes such a beautiful tale of blinding love.

Worst case scenario, we get a so-bad-it's-good flick to point and laugh.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

I prefer it to the Killer which might be my number two. Hard Boiled's story is a bit shit and cheesy. Stranglehold would be number 1 but it ain't a movie.

Story is not Hard Boiled's strength, I'll give you that...

 

[Discotheque]

So you stopped watching before the utterly crazy hospital scene at the end? Thirty minutes or so of balls to the wall gunfights?

Yeah the hospital scene goes HAM.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Yeah the hospital scene goes HAM.

The hospital scene is basically Time Crisis: The Movie. If people bled in Time Crisis.

 

[Blackace]

I prefer it to the Killer which might be my number two. Hard Boiled's story is a bit shit and cheesy. Stranglehold would be number 1 but it ain't a movie.

Yeah the story of removing switching two guys' faces is so not cheesy..

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Who the hell is going to play Danny Lee and Kenneth Tsang's role?

Funny note, both of them can speak pretty damn good English and just as easily could themselves.

Who is going to play Shing Fui On's role (RIP Big Silly!)?

 

[Blackace]

Story is not Hard Boiled's strength, I'll give you that...

the story in Hard Boiled is solid for an action movie.. just the action scenes are so awesome you tend to forget about it..

 

[Bleepey]

Yeah the story of removing switching two guys' faces is so not cheesy..

We all know how plausible that is nowadays!* I'm too lazy to link". Also Faceoff was so well acted it was a mind fuck as the two characters switched roles.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

the story in Hard Boiled is solid for an action movie.. just the action scenes are so awesome you tend to forget about it..

Exactly. The Killer is a better movie, but Hard Boiled is just fucking nuts for the action. I honestly cannot remember much of the story for Hard Boiled, except Chow Yun Fat and Tony Leung are awesome.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

the story in Hard Boiled is solid for an action movie.. just the action scenes are so awesome you tend to forget about it..

That's what I was trying to imply. Hard Boiled is a movie you watch for the action.

 

[dvdjamm]

Watch the damn movie be rated PG-13 too...You're better off watching Chow Yun-Fat in Let The Bullets Fly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_qKbfuoHmU

 

[kamspy]

The Killer is one of my favorite movies of all time. Maybe my #1.

Get that money Woo. I ain't mad at ya. With the catalog that guy has he should own a chain of exotic islands.

 

[dream]

I guess the only consolation I take from this is A Better Tomorrow 1 and 2 were never popular enough to get on the remake radar.