Wednesday
19Nov2008
'I Am Legend' Writer Re-Teaming with Will Smith for 'Oldboy'
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 6:14AM
Will Smith will be leaning on a familiar writer
when he steps in front of the camera for the upcoming (and hotly debated)
English-language remake of the South Korean new classic,
Oldboy.
I am Legend screenwriter Mark Protosevich is in talks to adapt the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If he gets the job, and I should think there's a good chance of that with I Am Legend earning over half a damn billion dollars around the world, Protosevich will get to write a Steven Spielberg flick, and that's not too shabby.
The nuts and bolts of all of this is that Protosevich proved with his last Smith outing that he can punch up an idea that isn't terribly mainstream and turn it not only into a good script but also a star vehicle. However, why in the world would you remake Oldboy if you wanted to make it a commercial entity? It's clearly not cut out for that thematically or structurally. It's dark, disturbed, and bloody. I dunno...maybe in the Willennium, he'll play a guy imprisoned for 15 years and when he gets out he wants to track down his captor and have a pillow fight.
I'm not opposed to a remake of this per se, and I certainly don't doubt the talents of Smith and Spielberg, but unless they're really taking a turn down a dark alley, I don't think simply repositioning this story will work.
Reader Comments (1)
God, Oldboy was a sick movie and I loved it, but I agree I can't imagine Will Smith beating a dozen guys with the claw end of a hammer. Sure Smith is golden in the box office but I'd be curious to see the reaction to this film. I would hope if they are successful with it they go on to remake the other two in the 'trilogy'.
On a lighter side let's imagine Will eating a live squid.