Although many people who’ve seen the original are still unsure whether they should be remaking Park Chan Wook’s Oldboy at all, people seem happier it’s Spike Lee who’s going to be directing, than when it was Steven Spielberg, with Will Smith starring. Now we know who’ll be playing the lead in Lee’s version, with Deadline reporting that Josh Brolin has taken the job.
There’s not a huge amount of detail about the character Brolin will be playing, but presuming not too much has been changed from the 2003 cult favourite, he’ll be a man who is inexplicably kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years. He is then abruptly released, only for a mysterious person to contact him, teasing information about his long confinement. This sets off much violence and revenge, as past sins are brought to light and the man tries to get back at those who wronged him. Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) has adapted the screenplay.
Shooting on Oldboy is set to start next March, with Brolin due to slot the movie in after The Gangster Squad and before he starts work on Jason Reitman’s Labor Day in June.