While Hollywood remakes of Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy and Joint Security Area have stalled in development (despite the former having attracted such names as Russell Crowe and Nicholas Cage) Charlize Theron dropped a bombshell for fans in a little-noticed interview with the The Boston Globe last week: she’s set to star and produce a remake of Park’s Sympathy for Lady Vengeance!
From Boston.com
(Theron will) also produce and star in a remake of “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance,” the final installment of a mondo-violent trilogy by Korean director Park Chan-wook.
I’m completely down with the idea of Theron as Geum-ja Lee, although more than a little skeptical about the project in general until more details (director/screenwriter, etc) are known.
Updated: MTV News caught up with Theron yesterday and got some additional tidbits:
He made an almost perfect film [but] he came to me and said he really wanted us to do this. He wanted to see that story told in an American society,” Theron said of Park Chan-wook, whose “Lady Vengeance” completed a revenge trilogy that included “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” and “Old Boy.” “If he wasn’t so encouraging I don’t think I could go through with it. We’re intimidated almost beyond belief.”
The original Korean flick follows Lee Geum-ja, an angel-faced young girl sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. When released, Geum begins a crusade of revenge, calling in favors, getting training, brutally kicking the crap out of anyone who stands in her way.
Theron will play the central role of Geum-ja, made famous in the original by Yeong-ae Lee. But that’s about the only sure thing for now, the Oscar winner clarified, insisting that they were “still in the very, very early stages of development right now.”
“But I’m very excited about it,” she said. “I’m a huge fan of the director. I love that whole trilogy but REALLY love that last one.”
According to Ms. Theron, they’re still looking for a director.
well, we are now certain to get hits for “hot Charlize Theron wook park”. I wonder why no one uses her Arrested Development portfolio for photos? :-P
Nice picture sizing, though, in all honesty. jaydro would be proud.
If I were going for pure hit counts, I would have gone with:
“Gaping hole in Charlize Theron’s schedule! Slot to be filled by meaty Asian remake.”
I am ashamed to admit I’ve never seen Arrested Development.
Heres to hoping this isn’t another Aeon Flux…
And you never even glanced at an episode of Arrested Development? Sheesh…you cultural heathen…
For starters, you can go to HULU.com and watch the pilot, pah-dner:
/arrested-development-pilot
I’ve never seen an episode of “Arrested Development” either, but this will surprise approximately no one except perhaps brianN. Unlike James, though, I am not the least bit ashamed about it. I really ought to have put something about TV in my “About” bio, but if I took the time to list all of my various quirks and neuroses the page would take an hour to load.
As for the topic at hand, I thought Lady Vengeance was the weakest of the three Vengeance films by far, so interestingly it would be the one that I’d be most interested to see a remake. Still not that interested, though, until a reliable director signs up.
Actually, I’ll believe it’s being made when I see it. Seems like the ratio of announcements like this to actual films is somewhat higher than 1:1.
I have never seen Arrested Development nor have I ever seen any of the Lady Vengeance pictures, and frankly I don’t feel I’m missing anything.
That’s because you don’t know what you’re missing, Slim.
The two seasons of Arrested Development I’ve seen were awesome. Haven’t gotten around to the third one, but feel like I can save it for later.
I’m not against them remaking this as I was Oldboy, perhaps because like Brian said, there were weaknesses to it. In my mind these were mostly structural; the film was a trip to sit through, great editing and visuals, with a compelling lead actress.
Theron would be great in the part. If they can tighten up the story and get a good director, this should be a trip, too.
Updated with an interview Theron gave yesterday to MTV.
You are.
I’m not a huge fan of Asian genre cinema, but I haven’t seen enough to make a definitive judgment. Maybe one day.
No, today.
Ok, just kidding.
What are the three titles? I’ll put them in my Netflix queue. For all you guys talk about it, I guess I should do the same with Oldboy, right?
Absolutely, you can watch them in any order (they’re not connected plotwise) so I’d start with Oldboy. The other two are Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. Park’s Joint Security Area is also excellent.
And add arrested development season 1-3 to your queue…
of course, you could just watch them online, but people are acting like I haven’t typed anything about that in this thread, so I’ll just stick to Neflix. ;-)
I’ve added the Vengeance pics. From the commercials and clips I’ve seen for Arrested Development, I don’t think I’d like it, as I’ve never seen anything of it that makes me laugh. I’m very very picky about TV comedy, as 99 percent of it is garbage.
Yeah, Oldboy is the best of the three, and strangely the first to be released theatrically here in the US. Mr. Vengeance was actually made first, and doesn’t feel as well developed as Oldboy, but still has a significant impact. Lady Vengeance, to me, felt like a lot of third films in a series, just going through the motions.
I’m not a fan of Asian genre cinema, either, by the way. To be honest, I think you’d be OK if you just watched Oldboy and called it a day, unless that film really stokes your curiosity to see more.
I wish there was a place where I could watch NBC/Universal television programs online…
All kidding aside: that service looks pretty sweet. Newsradio and American Gothic alone make it worth checking out.
To be fair, the recommended films are solely South Korean, and not exactly representative of the rest of Asian cinema.
Still, while we’re on the subject, one should add Kim Ki Duk’s masterpiece 3-Iron, the off-beat romcom My Sassy Girl, plus the very atmospheric Memories of Murder and A Tale of Two Sisters. In that order, basically.
I second 3-Iron. Wonderful film. Haven’t seen the others.
All great recommendations, I’d also add The Host as an introduction for first-timers. I know Nick doesn’t enjoy Sang-soo Hong’s work, but I’ve found some of his stuff interesting.
There’s also some great stuff coming out of Japan, although you need to be VERY selective.
I didn’t care for The Host. But thanks for the suggestions.
Understood, what put you off of it?
It’s hard to remember. I saw it on DVD last September I think. I can’t remember whether it was plot inconsistencies or just the tone in general.
3-Iron rocked….in a long and slow kind of way.
and you don’t have to sign up. I watched the pilot of AD yesterday after linking it here. Just 90 seconds of commercials spread throughout the show. Genius!
I can see why people would be put off by The Host, even though I ultimately dug it. Requires a pretty large suspension of disbelief.
Considering Slim’s avowed passion for all things erotica, you should look up Kim Ki Duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. There aren’t many filmmakers that can combine the epic and the intimate, while never leaving a single locale. I’m pretty certain you’d like that one.
Yeah, Spring… was good, too. I also watched Kim’s Bad Guy on DVD awhile back, but I thought it was less successful than the other two films of his that I’d seen.
Joe has seen 3-Iron… is it just me or did the ground start shaking?
Joe’s talked about that before. Here.
I saw it years ago…decades even…and commented as such. Where were you?
Ground shaking? do i come off as not liking foreign films?
Edit: Thanks, Brian.
I must be in denial. Sorry, Joe.
Well, yes, sorta. Not in any hateful way, just disinterested. Considering you invented the word cinweste and your blind hate of Haneke.
whoah whoah whoah….now I know your memory is kaput.
Brian invented cinweste and I just use it as a calling card.
Haneke is worthy of my hate after wasting my time with Cache…I can see clearly my friend. Oh yes…the rain is gone. I can see all the obstacles in my way.
And considering the dearth of movies I see, my ratio of foreign to national is probably above average. Did I not just write a post about Anime? Comment on “Once”? If you prick me do I not bleed???
I’ve never gotten that impression of you, Joe. And it’s not like one is required to like Haneke to enjoy foreign films.
Still, I’d agree that it’s a little surprising that you’ve seen 3-Iron. Just because your Netflix queue takes about 2.5 years or so to get through and this seems like an obscure thing for you to have caught up to, what with you having a life and all.
Not ground-shaking, though. And not surprising that you liked it.
This is scary. Obviously, memory kaput. My blue pills must’ve stopped working.
I’m sensing some hostility here. Some pent-up anger.
I’m seriously self-evaluating here. Do I represent that I think I have a life and no one else does? What’s the word on the street? Am I slipping in the polls?
I’m going to start uploading and posting some images from random Flickr accounts (without credit or permission) to ease the tension.
You and me both.
I’m not paranoid…everyone is just out to get me, that’s all.
When you say “seriously”, do you mean it as in “not joking”? Or do you mean it as in “I need an adverb here and ‘seriously’ is the first that comes to mind?”
Because you seem to be joking, and I want to be hip to that, but I also don’t want to hurt your feelings in the case that you’re serious but I’m not, and you misinterpret me as I’m (possibly?) misinterpreting you. I mean, you know.
The internet is a seriously confusing place sometimes.
Apologies.
Seriously was used as both an immediately available adverb and in a statement of fact. I seriously wonder what kind of vibe I give off. My feelings rarely get hurt. And I joke a lot.
We often do misinterpret each other and I wonder what our body language would be like if we met in person.
I’d probably punch you in the face. You got that? IN THE FACE!
Yes, yes… IN THE FACE! (Coming to America)
You strident liberals are so violent.
Coming to America, really? I have not seen it.
it’s dated now, but i fondly quote from it often.
It’s a solid flick, it still airs on cable all the time so I catch it now and then.
20 years later: it’s the still the most recent work of any quality from John Landis. Even Murphy took 11 years before making another worthwhile film (Bowfinger).
I saw Coming to America on a plane. Hated it.
Man, we’re having a lot of trouble reaching any kind of consensus today.
That’s what makes us so interesting.
No it doesn’t. (<———— see!!!! We can’t stop!)
Now Monty Python’s “I’d like to have an argument” sketch is running through my head.
Bingo, that was my first thought.
Oldboy finally made it to the top of my queue. Plan is to watch it tonight.
Oldboy–not my cup of tea. Way too stylized in that too cool for school way that grates on me (similar to my negative reaction to Fight Club). Muddled storyline, unpleasant to sit through. Liked some of the dry humor, though.
Completely understood, to each his own. I’d agree that some of the stylized stuff gets old, but I still think the good far outweighs the bad.
I will say that I like the film less now than I did in 2004.
Saw the other two films in the trilogy. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance was weird, but I kind of like how it shifted the focus from the deaf-mute to the father of the girl. It’s almost as though we’re never sure who Mr. Vengeance really is.
And I liked Lady Vengeance most of all. Maybe it’s because I saw that one third, and I was getting used to the director’s stylistic flourishes. Thought the scene with the parents of the kidnapped children was pretty powerful.
Just goes to show that you never know, I guess. I saw them in the same order you did, but my reactions to Oldboy and Lady Vengeance were opposite yours. And I felt like familiarity with Park’s style was a negative by the time I got to Lady Vengeance.
Oh well.
Semi-related: Universal/Focus has picked up Park Chan-Wook’s upcoming feature, Thirst, for domestic release. While Park’s Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Oldboy and Joint Security Area received limited theatrical releases here in the states, Universal is a major step-up from the now-defunct Tartan Films.
James…thanks for commenting and getting me to read this thread again. Funny stuff…
Hmmm…Danny Boyle reports that he’s been approached to direct.
Variety confirms that this is still in the works, along with Spielberg/Will Smith’s Oldboy redux and Lorenzo di Bonaventura’s Americanized Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.
Park’s newest film, Thirst, is also being eyed for a remake by Universal (who co-produced the Korean version) in the wake of Twilight‘s success. Somehow, I’m doubting the films are as similar as they believe them to be.
4 years later: some actual movement on the project. Theron will star, Megan Ellison will produce and William Monahan (The Departed, London Boulevard) will script. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Monahan directed as well, but there’s no indication of that yet.