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Screen Gems Planning Remake of Indonesian TIFF Winner 'The Raid'

by Alex Billington
September 20, 2011
Source: Heat Vision

It just won the TIFF Midnight Madness Audience Award, is coming out of the fest with some huge buzz, so what do you do next? Fire up a remake, of course! I heard rumors about this during the festival, but now its confirmed, as Heat Vision is reporting that Gareth Evans' Indonesian action movie The Raid is getting a remake from Screen Gems. Sony Pictures acquired the film in Cannes, which means it's likely the deal came with remake rights as well, on top of changes like adding a new score from Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda. These kind of remakes are inevitable, I've heard other TIFF midnight faves are already going that way, too.

The Raid is quite hot in Hollywood at the moment, based on all the TIFF buzz (I called it "One of the Best Action Movies in Years"), plus that it's about to explode even more with a likely appearance at Fantastic Fest this weekend, on top of an eventual US release either late this year or early next year. Screen Gems is the studio currently "in negotiations on a remake", and its safe to say they're probably meeting with various US directors to hear they're take on this. The film tells the story of a SWAT team that becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster, armed with two highly violent martial arts killers and a huge army of machete-swinging, machine gun-toting dealers and thugs (watch a teaser trailer). Director Gareth Evans declined the option to do the remake, and will instead focus on a sequel that he hopes to shoot in February.

I'm a huge fan of the film, which I saw in Toronto, and obviously concerned about what a remake will do to enhance it, especially because it was the fighting and Indonesian martial arts that make it so awesome. Plus, when have action remakes in Hollywood ever turned out better than the original, especially with the original film already receiving so much acclaim. Then again, there's not much I can do about this except hope that it turns out okay. In the meantime, stay tuned, as we'll definitely be hyping up the US release of the original Indonesian film, starring Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais, which is really the one everyone needs to see first.

Related categories: Development, Hype, Indies, Movie News

your_babys_daddy

They do what they want. Just give me the original as soon as you can.

http://www.facebook.com/danielvutran Daniel Vu Tran

Agreed. Give me the fucking original IDC ABOUT THE REMAKE I JUST NEED TO SEE THE ORIGINAL

Neo-3

The Departed did okay.

Gedetok

I dont think so, coz I huge fan of the original, I cant get fell like the original and Andy lau much cooler than Matt demon

Xerxexx

too soon.
DAVIDPD

Frankly I am surprised it took this long to announce the remake. I thought it was going to happen at TIFF.
Tigis

Are you sure it'll be showing at Fantastic Fest? I can't find it in this schedule : http://fantasticfest.festivalgenius.com/2011/schedule/week

Gedetok

I think The raid only play at toronto, busan and sitges before lunch next year
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

It's not listed, but I have a good feeling it'll be a secret screening. It's the PERFECT film to play there, and the crowd will go crazy for it. Coming off of that TIFF win, I expect it to show up there as a secret, but it's definitely not officially listed (which seems odd more than anything).

Gedetok

I hope so too, I have not watch this movie yet, but I like to see more review from other before watch this movie and make my curiosity much bigger.

Gedetok

http://www.slashfilm.com/fantastic-fest-2011-preview-tim-league-talks-preparation-parties-fave-films-the-raid-the-thing/I think that the answer ><

That 1 Guy....

As a foreign film lover I hate when Hollywood has to come along and bastardize a good film just because (most) Americans don't like subtitles. I'm so disappointed in my country. This will probably be a movie I won't pay to watch. I refuse to pay for a movie that has a sexier and slightly older "sister" that will probably "put out" more and I'll fall in love with quicker. What can I say, I'm a sucker for accents.... Yeah... I was reaching with that one a bit but I don't care.
Joe

The Departed was based on a drama movie. So it makes sense that Hollywood made a remake. But The Raid is pure 100% action (from what I've heard), do people in US really need subtitles to watch action scenes?

BoomGoesDynamite

Cheering for an Asian protagonist makes them uncomfortable. But replace him with Zac Efron and everyone wins.

http://www.facebook.com/danielvutran Daniel Vu Tran

Yeah right lmao, so many people would complain if Zac Efron was the star of The Raid USA version LOL. Put Jason Statham there on the other hand........... fapfapfap
Joe

If I remember correctly back on 2000 US audience loved Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon so much. It made about $128m in US alone. That one was the original version of the movie, right?

Xerxexx

That is a perfect example of American Audiences not being talked down to. CTHD was a huge success in America, Hollyweird does not give American Audience members enough credit.

Joe

I also remember how Rumble in The Bronx hit #1 at the US box office back in 1996. But I'm not sure if the version released in US is the original Jackie Chan version or the English dubbed one.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Nuno-Lopes/100001022192304 Nuno Lopes

And if i remenber correctly the movie version distributed in the west was dubbed to English...

Christohper Exantus

Normally, I don't have any objections to remake. It's going to happen whether I like it or not, and I'll choose not to see it rather than pitch a fit about it. But this...I can't get behind this one, or even turn a blind eye towards it. That trailer for The Raid is fucking phenomenal, and I just can't see the purpose in remaking this.
Widi A

Can't Hardly Wait to see this movie, Best Action Movies. Wow........
Adhi Paryono

How can they remake such movie? Better plot...or another 100 inventive ways to kill or to die? I don't think so. If they photoshop'ed the film so the actors look caucasian enough and the location seems like somewhere in the Bronx, it may be better than a remake

jah p

Only Michael Jai White could go into a high rise building in the bronx projects and kick ass and make it look believable! Then have Wesley Snipes be the kingpin and have Marrese Crump and Lateef Crowder be his martial arts bodyguards..

Shige

I can see where this is going. Hollywood checks out a promising foreign film that has not been released yet, remakes it and cashes in before the original is released. Who can complain about the remakes then ?
Brandon

Hollywood, you disgust me.
Widi A

you can watch the others iko uwais movie in merantau movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtkLFm3QrmA and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWlmhMSnVdM This Movie is Awesome. Martial art from Indonesia Called "SILAT"
Mikealsnite

You guys don't get it....the original would do fine (in America), but that's the problem. Hollywood wouldn't make the money. This way they can keep most american audiences from seeing the original and make all that money for themselves....simple American Greed, um, I mean Capitalism...
Lando

REMAKE? ALREADY? Damn!!!! I havent even had a chance to see the original! I agree, CTHdragon did fine in the states, who needs a damn remake? Is it cause Indonesia is mostly Muslim? I dont get it...totally not neccesary.. While I hate remakes, I think it COULD be redone (not needed though) but would need a fight coordinator like Jeff Imada (all the Bourne movies) who is fluent in many different styles of Pencak Silat (indonesian martial arts - there are 200+ systems throughout the archipelago) and would be able to bring that same level of intensity and action to the fighting..although from what Im seeing this is more akin to frequency and intensity of Hong Kong era JOhn Woo (way more intense than any hollyweird action can get)Why not just subtitle this or even worse...over dub it for american movie goers? I want to see this version!!!! PSMerantau kicks ass. literaly