Oldboy (2013)

Started by MacGuffin, November 06, 2008, 11:46:34 PM

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MacGuffin

Spielberg, Smith in talks for 'Oldboy'
Pair may kidnap remake of Korean drama
Source: Variety

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 U and then found its way to Mandate.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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Alexandro

this is an amazingly shitty idea.

squints

Spielberg directing Oldboy? Maybe. Sounds interesting.


Either way, screw this goddamn fucking bullshit.
"The myth by no means finds its adequate objectification in the spoken word. The structure of the scenes and the visible imagery reveal a deeper wisdom than the poet himself is able to put into words and concepts" – Friedrich Nietzsche

Alexandro

it's the combination of spielberg and will smith remaking it that can only suck. it will be all about daddy issues and more daddy issues as usual.

Stefen

Great. These two dickheads are going to pour on the saccharine. Spielberg needs to stay away from cool shit and just stick to proper historical shit. When he tries to be cool, he fails.
Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

Gold Trumpet

I didn't like the original so Speilberg isn't stomping on sacred ground, but I don't know how he would adapt it. Nothing about the film suggests a Speilberg picture in the making so I am interested.  Every ten years he seems to show hints of personality growth in his films so this could be something. I certainly won't write it off now.


Stefen

Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

Fernando


ElPandaRoyal

I can imagine Smith being in it easier than Spielberg directing, but who knows. I think he can do something good with this, but I love the original, so I'll want this to be really good.
Si

modage

we should merge this with the tarantino thread because it aint never gonna happen.  the closest thing to a reality would be spielberg producing through dreamworks or something but he will never direct this.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Alexandro

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on November 07, 2008, 02:17:52 PM
I didn't like the original so Speilberg isn't stomping on sacred ground, but I don't know how he would adapt it. Nothing about the film suggests a Speilberg picture in the making so I am interested.  Every ten years he seems to show hints of personality growth in his films so this could be something. I certainly won't write it off now.

it isn't really about sacred ground. Oldboy is not a favorite of mine either. I prefer Mrs. Vengeance in any case. But the whole idea sounds like a big mistake. I love Spielberg, but he's just unable to restrain himself on certain subjects and with Smith in the combination, we're prpbably going to see a two hours and half new Oldboy, form which 2 hours will be some gory gruesome violence, and then some sappy sugarcoated last half hour in which everything suddenly goes right. Like in War of the Worlds.

JG

i was telling somebody about this last night but i accidentally said old joy.. a will smith-steven spielberg production of old joy is kind of a funny thing to think about.

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: Alexandro on November 08, 2008, 01:00:26 PM
Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on November 07, 2008, 02:17:52 PM
I didn't like the original so Speilberg isn't stomping on sacred ground, but I don't know how he would adapt it. Nothing about the film suggests a Speilberg picture in the making so I am interested.  Every ten years he seems to show hints of personality growth in his films so this could be something. I certainly won't write it off now.

it isn't really about sacred ground. Oldboy is not a favorite of mine either. I prefer Mrs. Vengeance in any case. But the whole idea sounds like a big mistake. I love Spielberg, but he's just unable to restrain himself on certain subjects and with Smith in the combination, we're prpbably going to see a two hours and half new Oldboy, form which 2 hours will be some gory gruesome violence, and then some sappy sugarcoated last half hour in which everything suddenly goes right. Like in War of the Worlds.

Indeed that is the worry, but I'm still hopeful. A remake of Old Boy has much more interest than War of the Worlds. Speilberg did his best to implant a human story into that oversized disaster film. At least with Old Boy you have a story that has the genesis of a human story. All Speilberg would have to do is keep his action forefather Akira Kurosawa in mind to make the film a good vehicle for a remake. Speilberg would tone down the violence and elaborate on the human element of the story.

MacGuffin

DreamWorks sets up 'Old Boy' club
Will Smith, Steven Spielberg developing remake
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Nothing brings people together like $584 million in worldwide revenue.

In a potential high-profile star-writer reunion, "I Am Legend" co-scribe Mark Protosevich is in early talks to pen the remake of "Old Boy" that boxoffice king and "Legend" star Will Smith is developing with director Steven Spielberg.

DreamWorks secured the remake rights from Mandate Pictures, which also is staying involved in the project. Although the studio was meeting with several high-profile writers to do the adaptation, Smith invited Protosevich to meet with Spielberg on the project.

DreamWorks declined comment. The rights deal with Mandate is not complete.

Mandate acquired the 2003 Korean film co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook from Universal, which picked up the rights in 2004 with Vertigo Entertainment ("The Eye," "The Grudge"). The original film, which like much edgy Asian cinema includes some disturbing material, detailed a man's mysterious kidnapping, 15-year imprisonment and feverish quest for revenge upon being released.

A slew of Asian remakes have found their way into American theaters and onto development slates in the past few years. Screenwriter William Monahan won the best adapted screenplay Oscar in 2007 for translating the Hong Kong thriller "Infernal Affairs" into the 2006 best picture winner "The Departed," at Warner Bros. And Brad Ingelsby is adapting the 2000 Korean gangster movie "Die Bad," which "Quantum of Solace" director Marc Forster is negotiating to helm for Universal.

DreamWorks has engaged in a flurry of activity since its departure from Paramount two months ago. At that time, Spielberg and co-chairman and CEO Stacey Snider took 17 projects with them that DreamWorks had developed at Paramount, which retains an option to co-finance and co-distribute any resulting production.

"Old Boy" would be DreamWorks' first acquisition since the move, though Mandate might retain some ownership role in the film. Spielberg has been working on directing the first of a planned series of "Tintin" films with fellow producer Peter Jackson.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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