Spike Lee To Direct 'Oldboy' remake

[kvz5]

Olsen will be good.

The number of actors and actresses turning down the villain and female role is concerning but I'm glad that they're not just settling for someone and they're still offering the roles to good actors and actresses.

 

[Crockett]

Even The Hollywood Reporter is also mentioning that she's in talks. There's descriptions that shed light on the role and as expected, there's a slight change, at least when compared to the lead female in Chan-wook's film.

Olsen has the offer to play the part of the caseworker who helps investigate the past of the character being played by Brolin, a man kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years and inexplicably released.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/elizabeth-olsen-josh-brolin-old-boy-295813?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+THRComicCon+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Heat+Vision%29

 

[Doctor Jones]

I hope that's the only change. I'm fine with that, but I hope they do keep that... one aspect.

 

[Crockett]

It depends on the execution, but that'd definitely add more salt to the wound of those who are against this whole idea since it wasn't in the manga but even I admit, I still feel partially like that but I'll do my best to keep an open mind to this.

 

[Doctor Jones]

That twist wasn't in the manga? That's not so bad then. We should be less dependent on that twist if it wasn't in the manga then.

But still... I have my doubts that they are keeping it. I hope Lee does though.

 

[kvz5]

I read somewhere that even the reasons for the villain's actions was different in the manga and that the villain there was more along the veins of in love/obsessed with the lead character.

 

[Crockett]

Well Protosevich & Lee said this one is going to have a darker ending but that's saying something to gain an interest, I can't really think of ways that'll top Chan-Wook's ending but it's more important that they'll focus on making the whole movie good instead of just the ending. But I'm curious to see how much will be taken from Chan-Wook's film.

 

[kvz5]

Honestly back when Bale's name was being tossed around for the villain I had a thought that maybe they'll add another twist that the villain is the lead character's brother but I guess since the others who were offered the villain role didn't have any resemblance to Brolin then my theory doesn't hold up.

 

[Angel_Faerie]

They'd better keep the twist. There's no point if they change that.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I have no problem with removing the twist if it wasn't in the original manga. But I do think that the twist is what makes the whole 15-year-imprisonment-followed-by-an-inexplicable-release thing make sense, because we realized then that the release is not the end of the torture, but a continuation of it.

Also, what the hell is an oldboy, anyway?

 

[craigdbfan]

Olsen is really great but I'm still not sure about this adaptation at all.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Why not?

I wonder why people are so against foreign adaptations. Other countries remake our stuff all the time, and no one complains, but when the US remakes other countries stuff, people go wild.

I understand that people love original, but I have no problem with foreign remakes (most of time). There are people that don't want to read subtitles and finds them distracting. I'm not one of them, but I do find it a viable issue when it comes to people not wanting to watch foreign movies. The point of the remake is to bring the story to american audiences.

 

[craigdbfan]

That's not really my concern. The story can easily be adapted by any country including the US. This isn't a story where Japanese themes are so overarching or inherent that it would prove impossible for other countries to adapt.

It's worrying though when so many actors pass up on the movie. Makes you think about the quality of the script most importantly.

I'll keep my reservations solely based on the fact that Americans have had trouble in the not so distant past with manga adaptions. This should be one of the easier ones so I hope they can make it work but I'm better off coming into this with low expectations and then being pleasantly surprised.

 

[Crockett]

It's worrying though when so many actors pass up on the movie. Makes you think about the quality of the script most importantly.

I feel the same, it's unlikely that all the actors who've pass on the movie is due to scheduling conflicts, it could be due to the script, I mean I don't feel so confident in this just looking at his credits but he might surprise perhaps, still it's best to keep a low expectations.

 

[kvz5]

Yeah, the number of actors (and actresses) passing on the roles is not a good sign. I mean Clive Owen passed and it's not like he has a full plate or has a wide array of projects to choose from (no offense to him).

 

[MadVillainy]

Yeah, the number of actors (and actresses) passing on the roles is not a good sign. I mean Clive Owen passed and it's not like he has a full plate or has a wide array of projects to choose from (no offense to him).

Yeah I agree its a bit worrying. But I hope it turns out fine in the end. Who passed on the villain role? Bale, Firth, and Owen, right? And then Mara and the Alice in wonderland girl passed on the female lead. Or am I missing a few people

 

[Daniel Thompson]

I feel the same, it's unlikely that all the actors who've pass on the movie is due to scheduling conflicts, it could be due to the script, I mean I don't feel so confident in this just looking at his credits but he might surprise perhaps, still it's best to keep a low expectations.

Spike Lee has directed good movies such as Malcom X, Do The Right Thing, Crookyln and Inside Man to name a few. So I think this movie can be good, proably not better than the foreign film but still a good film.

 

[Project862006]

haywire also had an all star cast and i would'nt call that a great or even really good movie with a good script

it means nothing

jonah hex had :

josh brolin,michael fassbender,john malkovich,michael shannon,wes bentley

 

[KRIM]

That only enhances the point. Why skip this one? That makes this film look worse in comparison if it can't even nab people.

 

[Project862006]

^not really if jonah hex can nab those people you must think it has to have a good script right

but nope

this film is fine

 

[Figs]

I'm just wondering if these actors turned down the role because they kept it like the original and it may have been a bit too much.

I highly doubt it but I would love to know if it was more than scheduling conflicts with them.

 

[KRIM]

^not really if jonah hex can nab those people you must think it has to have a good script right

but nope

this film is fine

I don't think you're understanding. If a crap film like Jonah Hex can attract the talent, yet this one is constantly getting passed on by actors, what does that say about the latter?

You can't compare the two because there's nothing to compare. For all intents and purposes, Oldboy does not have a cast. As such, the inverse relationship you're citing (which I agree with btw) is invalid in this case.

 

[kvz5]

I'm just wondering if these actors turned down the role because they kept it like the original and it may have been a bit too much.

I highly doubt it but I would love to know if it was more than scheduling conflicts with them.

Assuming that the material was good, I think it might've been "too much" for someone like Firth or Mia. Bale seems to have gravitated more towards Noah (which he ended up passing too because of scheduling) but I don't see him getting turned off by the twist. My guess is Rooney doesn't want to be typecasted. No clue on Owen. I don't see him getting turned off either.

But of course it could just be that the material is crap. Or scheduling conflicts. Or too much respect for the original and they feel like this will flop?

 

[Rowsdower!]

Speaking of Owen, has anyone else just kind of lost interest in him as an actor? I remember back when he was in Croupier and a couple of other films, I thought he was a top-notch talent. But now I just find him bland, probably due to some of his horrible film choices.

And those choices do make me question this film. I mean, if Owen would sign onto crap like The Killer Elite or that stupid movie with Julia Roberts but wouldn't sign onto this, maybe the script really is that bad.

 

[Crockett]

Spike Lee has directed good movies such as Malcom X, Do The Right Thing, Crookyln and Inside Man to name a few. So I think this movie can be good, proably not better than the foreign film but still a good film.

I was talking about Protosevich, not Lee. In most cases a good director can't turn a bad script to a great film, there's a few exceptions here and there but most of the time, no. I'm not saying it is due to a bad script but I'm not going to place a high level of confidence on the writer.