I did a double take when I read in Variety that Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are interested in an American remake of Korean director Park Chanwook’s 2003 film Oldboy. For those not familiar with the cult hit, the centerpiece of the filmmaker’s revenge trilogy, it’s a hyperviolent saga about a man held hostage for 15 years, then mysteriously released and allowed to go on a brutal payback spree. A live octopus is eaten, incest is committed, and a man slices out his own tongue. In other words, not the sort of thing usually up either Spielberg’s or Smith’s alley. What are two guys with such mainstream, usually family-friendly sensibilities doing remaking a picture like this?
Naturally, this is the sort of news that drives fanboys apoplectic. But as this Slashfilm post points out, someone in Hollywood was bound to remake this film sooner or later. At least it’s not in the hands of hacks. Not only are these two at the top of their game creatively, but they’ve also both proven that they can sell pretty much anything to mainstream audiences, no matter how grim. If they can pull this off, well, kudos. Let’s just hope the finished product doesn’t involve aliens.
More on Oldboy:
Movie Review: Oldboy
Dalton Ross’ Obsession of the Week: Oldboy
Samuel L. Jackson: My Top 10 New Classic Asian Films
Comic Book Movies: The 22 Best Ever
Movie Review: Park Chanwook’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Movie Review: Park Chanwook’s Lady Vengeance
Book Review: Old Boy manga
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No remake our country does, no matter who’s involved, can touch the original Oldboy.
Why? Even with these two on board, I don’t think they can make a better movie than the original. Is Hollywood running out of ideas?
I know you don’t care about spoilers, Gary, but jeez, I think you could have left some of the details out without impacting the story. I’m glad I’ve already seen it!
Steven Spielberg is “at the top of his game creatively”?
No, that would be about 25 years ago.
Booooooo !!! They’ll probably turn it into something silly and PG-13.
Steven Spielberg is my favorite living director today. But he will slowly losing credibility with me if he dedicates any more of his talent to remakes. The last INDIANA JONES movie was a disaster in of itself.
these two are not at the “top of their game”. nope. there is no possible way they could do Oldboy justice. bogus.
Huh? “Top of their game”? Hancock, I am Legend, Indiana Jones 4?
i watched oldboy with my boyfriend… it’s got disturbing factors to it that i’m not sure spielberg can pull off. and i always love will smith – but i’m not sure he can pull off how dark the character is.
The Picture ‘Oldboy’ is very different and has an interesting theme, not like other revenge such as murdur or drug traffic or rape. A man who commit a small gossip, should deserve a 15 yr prison and a plot that led him to commit insect and psycho drug and cutting his own tongue?? Does he deserve?? On the other point of view, he committed a murder and he do deserve!! The story is very different and very good. It shows korean picturing ability.
They can’t remake oldboy, i dont understand how it would work at all.
I highly doubt Will Smith could pull off the crazy incest character.
I would like 2 speak on john ryans words….first of will smith is at the top of his game I am legend turned the hole zombie movie into somthing we haven’t seen before…..a story line not done often n there are few actors today that can pull of the work he did n this film….n same with hancock original super hero story n those two films brought n big big box office numbers…no actor 2day does that no one has had 2 movies gross those numbers n that time dec 07 and June 08…and not let us forget the oscar nom for pursuit of hapiness…n 07 i Believe….so if he is not at the top of his game then no one is…..
It’s extra-dimensional beings.
No. No no no no no.
I agree with Delon. It’ll probably lighten it to PG-13.
I’m intrigued by Spielberg and Smith working together, but this wasn’t the project for them I had in mind.
If anyone should be remaking OldBoy, It’s Martin Scorsese
the ONLY way this movie could be done properly with will smith is if he’s mentally put in a very dark place, and it’s HIGHLY doubtful the family-blockbuster Spielburg can do that to him. this movie (without trying to sound uppity) is a piece of art made to DISGUST and STRIKE and HORRIFY. I can’t see either of their influences involving those feelings, no matter how hard they try… don’t make it, please.
This is a really bad idea. I am shocked that Spielberg doesn’t see that and is contemplating the opportunity to turn greatness (Oldboy) into an American mediocrity. Is he no longer able to produce and direct something original?
You’re sort of giving away the ending here.
NO NO NO, a thousand times no. Neither of these two has it in them to remake a film that was only released 5 years ago and was amazing then. Why on earth would anyone with an ounce of sense want to remake Old boy?
WHAT? The top of their game creatively? Indiana Jones 4? I am legend? By “creatively” you must mean “money-making-ly” right?
Great job SPOILING major plot twists in the movie. The opening article as well as plenty of the comments are disgusting. I’ve already seen the movie but the plenty of others who haven’t will now be removed of the experience you had watching it for the first time. And you claim to love the movie? psshaw!!
i just hope they don’t take away the horror of it- and i dont mean just the gore. anybody who has seen the ending knows what i’m talking about.
In not sure if Spielberg is the best director for this movie. The same about Smith.
the news could be scarier – i heard a while back that spielberg has his eye on “Ghost in the Shell”. it’s not that he isn’t a good director, it’s just that asian cultures are so different from america that what makes a story like GITS (or oldboy)special has no cultural U.S. equivalent, like how “shall we dance” was an utter failure because america doesn’t have ingrained social taboos about touching in public. or if there is a cultural equivalent, it’s still really different, like john sturgess translating samurai into cowboys for “the magnificent seven”.
Speilberg – The Hate Years. Last week I caught an early 80s Speilberg movie. What happened to Stevie? He used to be so much f-u-n. That’s the problem with most movies out of Hollywood now. They are so dark and depressing. Will Smith too. He used to put out winners. Now they are all serious drama downers or dark comedies to prove he can act. Maybe this is why they refer to all liberals as angry, because they are never happy people.
I love Will Smith but he’ll get rid of the incest in the movie like he did with the gay kiss scene in Six Degrees of Separation. Don’t remake this movie!!
I would prefer they didn’t remake it, but if they insist, Will Smith shouldn’t play the man held captive, he should play the mastermind behind it all, I can actually see him doing a good job in that role.
W. T. F.
Will Smith is the thespian equivalent of a Happy Meal. Audience expect certain things, Will gives it to ‘em = 20 mil. opening weekend. There is no way in hell Will Smith will commit to a faithful remake of Oldboy. Ulta-violence and incest = box office poison. Please, if you have to remake this – and Hollywood, you really don’t – give it Ryan Gosling or someone who isn’t afraid to go to the dark side. This is almost as bad as, say, giving it to Nic Cage.
Go to hell Will Smith and Steven Spielberg.