What is with Hollywood these days? Didn’t we just report the remake of the drama, “My name is Kim Samsoon” and now another movie?
As the saying goes, “success begets success.” And since the numbers will tell you that there is a higher probability of a remake being a success, it’s a prime-time target for lazy Hollywood producers.
Although it was left out as the best Asian Film by CNN, the Korean cult hit, “Old Boy” (2003) is being picked up by Hollywood movers and shakers, Steven Spielberg and actor Will Smith, to be remade for the big screen.
If and when the rights for the film is secured, Will Smith will play the main character of Choi Min-shik who was locked up in a cell for 15 years without reason and suddenly freed. Steven Spielberg is looking for a screenplay writer to begin the process of Hollywood movie magic.
Directed by Park Chan-wook, “Old Boy” won the 2nd highest prize at Cannes in 2004. Quite an accomplishment despite lobbying by judge Quentin Tarantino for the film to win the grand prize, Palm d’Or.
FYI. “Old Boy” is a remake of a Japanese mana (manga in Japanese) of the same name. If Hollywood wants a hit, they should just go to the source directly.
Watch the trailer of the original:
[shouts to POPSEOULers Shar, Grace, Yinan and Danny for the heads up]
The end result will probably be a watered down version of the korean version. If it makes it to theaters I wonder what critics will rate it… Whatever, let’s hope people will google “Old Boy” and realize it’s just a remake and become curious enough to watch the original.
Popseoul get over it Korea can’t barely come up with their own sh*t either..
After all Old Boy is originally Japanese.
And Korea are remaking another Japanese drama HYD, I know plenty more but I’d get tired from typing all of the titles up.
So I’d say Korea is just as bad as Hollywood.
well im surprised that hollywood picked such a twsited tale. However, i realized then who the director is and who is gonna be in it: STEVEN SPIELBERG AND WILL SMITH!!!!!!! If anyone can pull this movie off its steven spielberg who is an amazing director and world reknown at that. the movie will also get more attention becaus eof WIll Smith. So all those people that are complaining about how hollywood wont stop taking korean movies and ruining, just hold your tongues and let them explode until after the movie is out. You DONT have to look at hollywood ruining the movies they take from the asian media. hollywood is expanding and trying to entice the tastes of the american audience thru different styles.
what i dont get by all those disappointed people is why they think a remake will ruin the original???? even if the remake flops, its not like its gonna taint the fame the original. so stop your whining and anger cuz its unnecessary in my point of view. but then again, maybe i’d have a different pov if i were korean and not american.
and i totally agree with Semantics!!! its not like korea doesn’t remake movies from other countries! i mean, how many korean movies are actually based on japanese films and mangas???
Actually, that isn’t accurate. Oldboy was already in the works for a Hollywood remake by director Justin Line (Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift). Of course, that project was shelved indefinitely, and nothing has been heard about it since.
If Speilberg is picking it up with Will Smith to play the lead, it could be huge. Provided Hollywood does a remake correctly, I’m all for it, but if it’s just another attempt to cash in on something that others have already done, they can piss off.
As for Oldboy being a remake of the Japanese manga, it’s probably more accurate to say that it’s an adaptation of it, rather than a remake. While the original premise was retained — a man is kidnapped for 15 years for reasons unbeknownst to him — the details of the film, which make it great, were entirely the original thoughts of Park Chan Wook.
And as for the film winning only second prize at Cannes, it’s worth noting that first prize was Michael Moore’s “Farenheit 9/11.” Needless to say, that film won 1st due to political reasons. If artistic integrity were the only consideration, Oldboy would’ve taken first without a problem.
Korean film “A bold family” was a ruthless rip off of a German movie Good Bye Lenin. At least Hollywood pays MONEY to remark and RECOGNITION in the form of END CREDITS while Koreans DON’T PAY AND ROB OTHER people’s works. Sorry but the double standard is sickening!
Show me a country that doesn’t remake anothers work, now that would actually be an interesting topic!!!!
Korean Hana Yori Dango drama & Antique movie anyone o_O
no no no no no!! will smith sucks!!!!!!!!
this is such a classic, a great incredible movie. one of my favorites of all time. they will ruin it.
instead of remaking something if you love it so much american directors how about you bring the ORIGINAL to the big screens and financially back it. put a lot of ads out and interviews telling the public why this movie is so great.
every time a movie comes out and i find out its a remake i just watch original instead and it never disappoints.
I love Will Smith and think he is a great actor. I also love Steven Speilberg and think he is a great director. But there are some movies that are so good they should NOT be remade. This is one of those movies.
Come on now, Korea knocks off everything from Hello Kitty to the Backstreet Boys, so why are some so upset when it happens to films? Old Boy is my favorite movie and Will Smith is my favorite actor, so I’m not upset at all. I just hope its a good remake and not a “Sassy Girl”
I thought that talks with Will Smith & Steven Speilberg were rumored, but not confirmed?
*ps.
i dont really care about the newest remake, as long as its better than the remakes of My Sassy Girl and Il Mare. Because those were just lame.
I would pay money to see this remake. Steven Spielberg is a LEGEND but Old Boy is not his genre of movie. And Will Smith?
WOW.
I’m very surprised quentin tarantino didn’t try to take the project or martin scorsese as he remade infernal affairs 3 years ago (DEPARTED). He couldn’t have remade it with DiCaprio. It’s also too bad stanley kubrick is dead as he couldn’t made a great remake out of this OLD BOY plot.
could have*
“oldboy” is based on a Japanese manga of the same name. So your point is moot, popseoul. why don’t desperate netizens like yourself stop worrying about westerners remaking their already remakes of movies and dramas and concentrate on making hit dramas and movies not based off of other countries hit series, i.e., Anego the superior forerunner to Dalja’s Spring, or how about White Tower based on the japanese novel Shiroi Kyotō written by Toyoko Yamazaki.
Oh and I guess you guys forgot to mention this article by the Chosun Ilbo about how “great many new Korean dramas and movies are based on Japanese works, noting that the “Japanese Wave” has more staying power than the now ailing “Korean Wave.” An excerpt from the article: “Among the domestic films released this year, blockbusters like “200 Pounds Beauty,” “Highway Star”, “Black House”, “Kidnapping Granny K” and “Lovers Behind” were all based on Japanese sources. Last year and this year, as many as 21 films were produced in Korea using Japanese source material, a significant rise compared to just five from 2001 to 2005. In other words, Korea depends on Japan for its creative juice.”
Now why aren’t Japan and their netizens getting their panties all twisted in a bunch over Korea’s lack of creative ideas and blatant stealing of inspiration from other sources?? Looks like you guys are just a bunch of hypocritical, nationalistic racists.
A remake of a remake? Wow. Can’t wait to see Spielberg’s adaptation, however, I wish Tarantino was on this too. And to “sometimes i really hate being korean”, I couldn’t agree more. Let’s stop the bigotry!
This movie was on of the most disturbing movies I’ve ever seen! And I really can’t see Will Smith in this role!
the americans either appreciate the asians’ works a lot, or they have completely ran out of ideas, or even probably trying to show they can do a ‘better’ job than the asians.
chances are they have no more ideas, and at the same time, trying to do a better job than the asians.
Will Everyone stop bashing people for a second and give the remake of the movie a chance.Im not going to lie the original is good but it will be interesting to see Will Smith pull off the main character of the movie and I hope that they add the “twist” in the movie also.As for Korea,you guys remark movies too so dont bash on other countries if you know you are in the wrong too.
sorry *remake
ok I’ve never seen the movie Old Boy before.
but the story sounds really interesting.
I think I will wait for the hollywood remake.
BTW I love Speilberg and Will Smith and both of them are geniuses. So for them to team up in one movie is definitely a must watch for me. So let’s give both of them a chance and wait for the movie.
@BKJSuh
basing or remakes… still it’s not original n use other sources…fyi, the word remakes comes from popseoul itself in the above post…
@sometimes i really hate being korean
i like yiur points… thx for the info..
I’m so incredibly mad about this news!
There is no way they can pull it off.
Hollywood is picking up anything and everything from everywhere else… that’s nothing new.
i’m scared they’ll screw it up big time, but it seems to be a trend with Korean movies going to Hollywood.
What’s the point of doing a Remake of a movie that was absolutely awesome in every way ?
I understand a director that puts his hand on a b Asian movie that barely got out of the country, but a movie who won a prize at Cannes? It’s already genius.
Besides, this movie is WAY to controversial for the american scene, they’re pretty much just gonna censor it, replace all names and places by American ones and VOILA! Millions of dollars without lifting a finger…