Despite Spike Lee’s recent failed attempt to find an audience with a remake of a revenge cult classic from one of South Korea’s most accomplished directors, Hollywood will give the translation another try. Just a few weeks after a new take on Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy, news has hit that a remake of Kim Ji-woon’s I Saw the Devil is now in the works.
According to The Wrap, producers Adi Shankar and Spencer Silna, whose company 1984 Private Defense Contractors is behind such films as Killing Them Softly, The Grey and Dredd, have picked up the rights to the violent 2010 revenge tale. Surrounding a special agent who vows to go after the serial killer that murdered his pregnant fiancé, I found it to be a flashy and entertaining, but somewhat exhaustive.
Commenting on this English-language update, Shankar says that the original film “is perfect in so many ways. The intention is not to remake the film per se, but rather to “port” it for international audiences.” With no other talent attached, we’ll have to wait and see who comes aboard, but the central premise is high-concept enough to translate to the Hollywood arena. Personally, I’m more interested to see what Kim Ji-woon does next, as his Hollywood debut, the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led actioner The Last Stand, left much to be desired.
Do you think I Saw the Devil is prime material for a remake? Who would you like to see direct?