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The Rock to star in Big Trouble in Little China remake

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N

Net_Wrecker

Member
Discotheque said:
yeah he's fine for this, even though his beast-mode size is kinda a counterpoint to this movie but he'll still pull it off.

it's the film itself that will be bad.
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IDK, I think his swoleness could add to the comedy, actually. They could play the whole thing up even more because on top of thinking he's this badass gift to mankind, his muscles are just for show because in a real fight he'll be getting beat down by these random Mortal Kombat kung fu stereotypes.

But again, I just have no faith this will turn out well unless it's Edgar Wright at the helm or something.
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
I really don't understand Hollywood. John Carpenter apparently can't get work as a director, and while many of his films are cult classics, they generally all underperformed at the Box Office (exception being Halloween). And most of the remakes (again, exception of Halloween) don't exactly do well either. So why keep remaking them?

.
 
L

lovely ladies

Member
Rock's pretty talented in comedic roles, he was entertaining even in the Disney kid movies. I think he's more comfortable playing the fool than playing the stoic action type to be honest.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
Net_Wrecker said:
IDK, I think his swoleness could add to the comedy, actually. They could play the whole thing up even more because on top of thinking he's this badass gift to mankind, his muscles are just for show because in a real fight he'll be getting beat down by these random Mortal Kombat kung fu stereotypes.

But again, I just have no faith this will turn out well until it's Edgar Wright at the helm or something.
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fuuck that would be GOAT. edgar wright (on script too), the rock. it would be guaranteed quality.
 
Wolfe

Wolfe

Member
ViewtifulJC said:
Let's be honest, 80s audiences didn't go for the original either. It was a flop, received mixed reviews, and Carpenter left Hollywood. It only gained cult classic status once people got the joke years later.

Maybe now, armed with foreknowledge...?
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Well part of the issue with that was how it was marketed back in the day, the execs didn't know what to do with it because they didn't get it and therefore the trailers and all didn't do a good job of representing the movie itself (I might be a little spotty with this, just what I remember from the Big Trouble commentary.)
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
Lashley said:
Yes, but this won't have any of the things that made the original great.
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Dunno how you know that. Not that I'm super-optimistic, but again - the fact they're going after the Rock to play Jack Burton doesn't rule out the possibility of this being a loving spoof/homage to both the original movie, and kung-fu flicks, as well as a showcase for Rock's comedic gifts. Of all the "action stars" they could have gotten, they got the one who is guaranteed to play "blowhard idiot" fuckin' perfectly.

edit: Hell, the "they" we're talking about IS Rock. You think he'd remake Big Trouble if he didn't understand why it works? If he didn't get why Jack Burton is a funny, endearing character?

Stop reading comicbook, by the way. It's a shit site.
 
Lashley

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
BobbyRoberts said:
Also, shit says "via the wrap" at the bottom of the article? Link The Wrap instead of shit-ass comicbook dot com. You'll probably find details you missed because lord knows comicbook pays less attention to the shit they write than the people sharing their links on forums such as this.

And if the joke is that Jack Burton is an alpha male who doesn't realize he's the useless sidekick in this movie, why would getting the Rock, who is even more alpha and more physically imposing, somehow ruin the joke as opposed to enhancing it?

You guys are acting like the Rock doesn't have comic timing and a willingness to make himself look fuckin' dumb.
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Happy?

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in negotiations to star in and produce a remake of John Carpenter‘s cult classic “Big Trouble in Little China” that will be written by “X-Men: First Class” scribes Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, multiple individuals familiar with the project have told TheWrap.

A representative for 20th Century Fox did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Johnson is making a deal to play Jack Burton, an all-American trucker who gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Johnson and his 7 Bucks Entertainment producing partners Dany and Hiram Garcia pitched the remake to rights-owner Fox, which released the original film. “Big Trouble in Little China” is one of Johnson’s favorite movies, and Miller and Stentz have already closed a deal to write the script.
The original 1986 starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall only grossed £7.23 ($11) million at the domestic box office, but it is revered as a cult classic and a cable TV staple that fans can’t resist watching from when it airs.

Johnson is coming off an earth-shaking £35.49 ($54) million domestic opening weekend for “San Andreas,” which was also set in San Francisco. The film topped both the domestic and international box office and cemented Johnson’s place as America’s premiere action star.
Johnson will soon be seen on HBO’s new original series “Ballers,” which debuts later this month, and is also set to star in Warner Bros.’ comic book movie “Shazam.” Johnson is also lending his voice to Disney’s animated movie “Moana.” He’s represented by WME and Gang, Tyre, Ramer and Brown.
Miller and Stentz wrote the screenplay for Marvel’s “Thor” and they’re currently writing Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Acme” movie that will star Steve Carell. They’re repped by WME and Principato-Young Entertainment.
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B

Bishop89

Member
I like Johnson but he doesn't fit the character. Yet again this remake isn't going to be anything like the original
 
S

StoopKid

Member
Napoleonthechimp said:
Have him play a bottom of the barrel ex-wrestler with delusions of grandeur. He'd be perfect for it.
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dahell2.png
 
Lashley

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
BobbyRoberts said:
Dunno how you know that. Not that I'm super-optimistic, but again - the fact they're going after the Rock to play Jack Burton doesn't rule out the possibility of this being a loving spoof/homage to both the original movie, and kung-fu flicks, as well as a showcase for Rock's comedic gifts. Of all the "action stars" they could have gotten, they got the one who is guaranteed to play "blowhard idiot" fuckin' perfectly.

edit: Hell, the "they" we're talking about IS Rock. You think he'd remake Big Trouble if he didn't understand why it works? If he didn't get why Jack Burton is a funny, endearing character?

Stop reading comicbook, by the way. It's a shit site.
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I don't read it, it popped up on my news feed.
 
E

EGM1966

Member
Seems pointless to remake. The original's charm and reputation is very much down to the specifics of the cast.

Is Hollywood really that afraid of simply making a film in a similar vein vs having to have the safety net (perceived only as let's face it plenty of remakes don't exactly set the boxoffice or critics alight) of a known property?
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
EGM1966 said:
Is Hollywood really that afraid of simply making a film in a similar vein vs having to have the safety net (perceived only as let's face it plenty of remakes don't exactly set the boxoffice or critics alight) of a known property?
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Hollywood made the original film in the first place.

So no.

Hollywood just turned out the Kingsman earlier this year, so action comedies that spoof/homage specific genre entertainments are still actively happening. It's not like they forgot how.

And honestly, with the distance of 30 years, it's not like a lot of the roadblocks that prevented Big Trouble from really reaching the potential of it's original screenplay are still in place. This is a film that can go for it in a way Carpenter/Russell couldn't, even if they'd been allowed to.

But they could also botch the living fuck out of this, just as easily.
 
M

MagnaderAlpha

Member
Wolfe said:
Well part of the issue with that was how it was marketed back in the day, the execs didn't know what to do with it because they didn't get it and therefore the trailers and all didn't do a good job of representing the movie itself (I might be a little spotty with this, just what I remember from the Big Trouble commentary.)
Click to expand...

In short, suits gonna be suits. Decades may change, but the guys in charge are just as clueless as ever.
 
N

Nekofrog

Banned
the brilliance of the first movie was that the star was somewhat inept and in over his head. i mean, the dude knocks himself out in the battle in the climax
 
G

gabbo

Member
If it's as tongue and cheek as the original, maybe. Part of Kurt Russell's charm was that he acted like the be-all, end all of men. He not only wasn't, he didn't look it either. The Rock can't really pull off 'not intimidating'
 
P

PSqueak

Banned
gabbo said:
If it's as tongue and cheek as the original, maybe. Part of Kurt Russell's charm was that he acted like the be-all, end all of men. He not only wasn't, he didn't look it either. The Rock can't really pull off 'not intimidating'
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I dunno, the fact that he's a big buff tuff guy could be a hilarity intensifier if he plays an inept would be hero.
 
V

Verger

Banned
I am curious. What "remakes" of 80/90's (and even early 00) films have actually turned out good? Or, lol, better than the "original"?
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
purg3 said:
great, Hollywood ruining yet another childhood favorite one movie at a time...
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Hollywood made your "childhood favorite" in the first place.

They're not "ruining" anything that wasn't already theirs. They might not be "ruining" it period.

Hell, the Rock's producing it.
 
V

VistraNorrez

Member
I really don't like when people say, "I love this movie, it's my favorite. Now Let's remake it with me in it." And I generally don't mind remakes. Whatever, they exist, but this just comes off as a missed opportunity to me.

Johnson has clout to make an original film right now. He's should just do what people used to do and figure out how to make something original inspired by the things they love. That's a far better way of honoring it than remaking it.
 
S

Schweinehund

Member
McDougles said:
When was The Rock's last bad film role he performed?
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It's weird, I can't think of a movie where he was the reason the movie was terrible. He's not a great actor but he gets a lot of shit films.

Curious when this will be scheduled and if it will interfere with his DCU appearances. Shazam seems to be on the fast track.
 
M

mosaic

go eat paint
If you want to pick a more appropriate Fast & Furious cast member to play Jack Burton, I'd prefer Tyrese Gibson. He's fit, he's goofy, he can probably pull it off.

But the bigger issue is that John Carpenter remakes suck. You simply can't update movies that were a product of their era.
 
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