Okay, this is a few days old, but I quite enjoyed this story about how talks between DreamWorks and Mandrake Pictures to remake OLDBOY have broken down. It is an interesting article, helping to point out the many problems aside from creative that potentially stand in the way of any project — ownership and other rights, speed of development, executives changing jobs, etc.
As you probably know, there have been stories floating around about how DreamWorks wanted to remake Park Chan-wook’s iconic film, with Steven Spielberg directing and Will Smith starring. But looks like all that is now kaput.
Of course, OLDBOY was loosely based on a Japanese manga of the same name, so just who would be remaking what was always a tricky question. Like the proposed remake of THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD… just who “owns” the idea? Anyhow, all moot now.
I’m kinda glad they’re not doing it.
In some cases, a remake can be an homage, but in cases like this it’s more like an opportunistic money grab with an implicit “people in our country don’t want to watch you guys and read subtitles at the same time.”
There already has been a remake, bollywood’s Zinda.
Show East investigated a lawsuit against the director, but that never materialized
Hi again, off topic, I want to congratulate you with the nomination Asian Television Awards, not bad 4 nominations 1 of which Best Cross-Platform Content, so that’s partly a feather in you cap…
http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/rains_documentary_up_for_awards/
Hi Joey. Thanks for the nice words about the nomination. I meant to write something about it on the blog, but have not found the time yet.
Kushibo: While I am no Spielberg fan, I doubt he would be much interested in a “money grab” (aside from JURASSIC PARK 2). Although I could imagine him thinking of it as a potential Oscar grab (a la THE DEPARTED).