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]
first ?
NO! NOOOOOO! I am HORRIFIED! I feel like crying now.
I’m sorry, this just pisses me off. Dammit. Will Smith will NOT be able to pull of the main character. Granted, he’s an awesome actor, but he can’t play this guy well enough.
OMG,
dwight,
you are first????
you are the greatest human in this universe!!!
once more,
OMG!!!!
Pfff… Tch ..Pisses me off.
They will just spoil the image of these great movies >:E
i can’t believe it..
the genius director, steven spielberg copying other’s work..
guess he’s not genius as i thought..
>:(
now when (if) the remake toped world’s box office for weeks like dark night, then the world would see america as the’idea’ not the originally from asia. what i think is wrong that how Park Chan-wook would green light for his great work to be make again with alittle and more addition to see how itll be in american version.
then america will get the all-best-time credit forever. for america is this, steven speilberg is no doubt, thell.
well america is famous for exploitasion and being the so NO.1’s helper in the world, digsht i say. sounds better if america the NO.1 enemy in the world. even when many of americans against it will they care?
where is the quality of original? why not koreans producers demand the right property our film, for the world to see a successful better,great from asia. why let america to go ahead with everything?
Crapowood needs to BACK OFF these masterpieces!
comparing the most dumbest and nonesense movie Hancock played will smith, and
crime movie Hitman played Timothy Olyphant. timothy is better.
even better to tell its from the original, cast choi min sik as he is again. and how impossible could it be? pro subtitling is common use korean-english as language. they have chance to be known around the world with movies but why letting it go easily? and think pop princess and groupies can make it alone what a laughable.
Oldboy is the complete opposite of Spielberg.
I really don’t think Spielberg nor Smith has the balls to replicate such controversial themes & scenes integral to the original. They’d probably even take out the ‘twist’ in the end and change it altogether…
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
R u kidding me? Steven Spielberg and Will Smith wanna do remakes? Pfft and I was thinking that Spielberg was an original person…
give me a f’in break. . .
okay, this is not even funny anymore. remakes should be banned.
again?!?
But speilburg must be like rolling in it now.
But at least they’re clever enough to know whats a good movie.
as for Will Smith playing the main lead, It’s passable, could be a lot worse *cough*BRADPITT*cough*
I see… Spielburg jumped in to the bandwagon like rest of them. Shame on him, let’s hope it doesn’t suck like latest/final installment of Indiana Jones
I seriously think they won’t keep the story intact…I can’t see Will in this role, especially because of the revelation at the end.
NO STOP IT T______________________T PLEASE WHY *Suicide*
i think will smith can pull of this role. his pulls of many unexpected roles with ease and makes them believable. all the people complaining about how america just copies stuff, too bad! you can either watch the movie or not. most people don’t really care if a movie is original or if its a remake from overseas. if its good, then thats cool.
so, even oldboy itself is not original since it is a remake of japanese manga… while everyone is busy looking at how much hollywood is adapting korean movies, i’m now more interested in looking at how many of korean movies/dramas been remade from japanese mangas/doramas… interesting.. now, who should get the credit…? lol…
Spielberg is good though so it should atleast be entertaining!
buwaaaahahah, leave them do the remake… anyway they will be ashamed of it later. Spielberg? my ass, he cant do it, not even half as good as the original.
Hey everybody….Just wanted to let you all know that American producers have been trying to secure the rights for this one since it came out in 03.Different companies and different actors have been attached since.Everyone from Johnny Depp to Nicholas Cage.Somehow I just can’t see Cage lowering himself to barking like a dog…….He He He.So anyhow do not get too excited about this until it actually starts filming.And if they do it just boycott and try with all your powers of persuasion to have anyone that wants to see it watch the original.After some friends of mine said they thought The Departed was an excellent movie I finally got them to sit down and watch Infernal Affairs and they all said No Comparison and 2 of them are now die hard asian film fans and are even into Akirosawa. So it can be done…
a possible remake? AGAIN? what the hell is wrong in the world today? the news is always either about rain or remakes!!!! puhlease..
jeez….
I guess I forgive for will smith?..
Oh chill out, kids. Stop crying. e_e I’m pretty sure Spielberg and Will can pull this off.
Not to mention. Any smart person whose seen Will’s recent movies would not say that “he doesn’t have the balls” to pull of the role.
oh my!
Shouldn’t you be happy for the director or the producer that they will get some money from the rick Hollywood producer like spieldberg? Like it or not, I think it means that 1. the movie is good enough to get chosen 2. korean movie is going to become popular worldwide. So why complain?
i can’t imagine Will Smith with that type of character.
but D= it’ll be rated R her no doubt which means i gotta wait till it comes out on dvd to check it out at the library xD
Old Boy was a really good movie. it’s not like america remakes EVERYTHING. lots of asian countries make dramas and stuff off Japanese manga.
The Koreans will be laughing all the way to the bank! Anyway, Steven Spielberg and Will Smith should be able to make the remake work.
WHAT THE CRAPALASTIC.
this sucks.
WHY DO KOREAN PEOPLE KEEP SELLING RIGHTS TO THE MOVIE!?
now the movie will be famous as an AMREICAN movie and not as a KOREAN movie.
THISSUCKSTHISSUCKS.
gawd. i hate this.
We should all protest in front of Speilbergs house.
Do NOT remake this movie!
I like Will Smith ans Steven Spielberg, but I just know this remake is gonna SUCK compared to Old Boy, what’s with Hollywood??? If America think these movies are good,they should just broadcast it with subs on TV or something
Just wondering, was it Park Chan-wook who was interviewed on CNN some time earlier this year to discuss this film? I haven’t seen the film but I’ve seen clips of it before so yeh.
Oh great, they’ll anal rape another fantastic movie.
@ eito_suki
It’s not remake of manga.
It is based off manga. There’s difference of remaking and basing off a material.
this movie looks pretty good i cant wait till steven remakes this will smith will do a bomb ass job as this character
um you would think popseoul would give its readers recognition for tips?
SACRILEGE!
yes is sucks that they are remaking it but…
WILL SMITH IS THE MAN. I loooove will…he will be good in this. These types of movies are just up his alley–i could definately see him in this…i wonder who will be the girl/daughter…. Whoever they get to play the villian, hes gotta be a white guy with cold blue eyes…oooOOOooo Harrison Ford would be a good yu ji tae….
WAHHH im getting a little excited now!!! GO WILL!!!!
Will Smith is a gtrea actor..but I don’t think he can bring out the character well v.v
watta shame for hollywood.but i would love to see will smith portray the role.=]..cant wait!
wow that preview does absolutely no justice to the acal movie. as for the whole remake thing, i coudnt care less. theres a good korean film named old boy, and if the remake sux ill just tell me friends to watch the original
I hope they don’t make it like The Departed (which was a disservice to the original Infernal Affairs).
Hmmm…I think with the right actor they could actually pull this off…But I don’t know about Will Smith though, cuz I see Robert Downey Jr. would do the role of Choi with more justice.
I didn’t think they would actually get the rights to this cuz there was this whole conterversy linking this movie to the V-tech shootings here in the states that was committed by a Korean boy.
Anywayz if The Departed can do well here, then I guess I’ll give this movie a chance…Although kinda skeptical with Will Smith…
Yes The Departed was such a disservice to Infernal Affairs that it only won Best Picture and Infernal Affairs has sold millions more copies world-wide.
The Hong Kong Film industry has thanked directors like Tarantino and Scorsese countless times for their interest.
You have Speilberg and Will Smith in a remake.
You should be grateful cause it will bring Korea film industry more money to make bigger movies!
why is everyone acting like old boy is original? people, its based off a japanese manga. get over it.
@haku
ooOOOoooo good point!
agree with haku, it’s a remake of a movie that’s copied from a manga. i’m already over it.
Whats wrong with making remakes? So what if America wants to remake it? I mean, Spielberg is a great director, and Will Smith is great actor, so the chances are that this movie has a good chance it might no be so bad.
I understand that it is a Korean movie but come on, no one in America is going to go see a Korean movie besides Korean Americans.
If the movie is a success then I’m sure that there will be publicity that it was a remake in which then the real movie will get some promotion. There’s no need to be such racist babies about the whole thing.
Popseoul, it’s Oldboy, no space.
Also, I will be disappointed if one of my favourite Korean movies eventually does become remade. I will most certainly tell all my friends about the (most definitely) superior Korean original. And yes the Korean is an adaptation from a Japanese manga, but it takes a lot more skill to make a movie based on a manga and infuse it with such a dark and twisted essence.