Hollywood’s so far unsuccessful attempts to turn Taylor Kitsch into a bona fide A-list star (and they really have been trying) continues with the news, via The Wrap, that he’s been offered the lead in the English-language remake of The Raid.
Some would say we already got that – but with a sci-fi twist – with Dredd, but Screen Gems hopes to start shooting its take on the 2011 Indonesian hit movie next January.
However Kitsch being part of the movie is far from a done deal. While it appears the actor and the studio are in talks, rumours suggest they’re far apart in terms of the money being aked. There’s also the fact Kitsch is in talks for the second season of True Detective. Although he may be able to do both, they’d have sort out the scheduling carefully, as True Detective is due to wrap around the same time The Raid remake starts.
Frank Grillo is also likely to star, with Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3) directing from a screenplay by Brad Ingelsby (Out of the Furnace).
The original The Raid featured a team of policemen who become trapped in an apartment building that is the heavily secured stronghold of a drug lord who is determined that none of them will make it out alive. It was more the fighting and action than the plot that impressed people though. The remake is said to be set in the world of DEA fast teams, and will feature a clash between different fighting styles.