Johnnie To Directing Chow Yun Fat In US Remake of Hard Boiled!

Jeez. Just a week ago, I said to my little brother about Woo saying there would be a sequel: "Wouldn't it be cool if Johnnie To directed it?"

Hmmm, I don't like this direction. I'd rather see the HK industry hold on to their own with films like Election, Mongkok or SPL than start litterally re-treading its classics in Hollywood, with the same actor no less. Not that is a new trend or anything, but I'm fine with Woo's version of Hard Boiled and would like to To do more original stuff.

Yeah I don't know about this. I mean, I love HARD BOILED, and I love Johnnie To's work, but there's something weird about the idea of a remake.



I have to wonder if some of the plot points would fly in the states, the main one being babies being in mortal danger of getting shot or burned alive. They'd have to tone down a lot of the violence to release it over here.

Mixed thoughts on polar sides: On one hand, this is my favorite action flick ever. Why touch it? On another hand, To would undoubtedly put an interesting spin on it, especially w/ a bigger budget. Oh my, oh my.

Hmmm... I'll pass. Chow Yun Fat has been dying on the vine for years now with crap roles in crap films and no hits with the exclusion of Ang Lee's wire fest... Johnnie To is a talented director, but I reeeally doubt he had any visions for the film that are so incredible we just HAVE to remake it right this second.

At best, a good action flick. At worst... well it couldn't be much worse than Replacment Killers, or Bullet Proof Monk, or the Corruptor, or Anna and the King... Oh wait, it probably could (recalling John Woo's Hollywood crap spree)...

For Chirstsakes, unless there is something REALLY unique about this remake (like an appearance from Gamera AND Chuck Norris), I am putting on my scarf of cold skepticism. Because I've been drinking. And Chow Yun used to be my HERO... Too heartbroken to write any more...

Yeah, it's kind of hard to know how to feel about this one..."Hard Boiled," obviously, rocks...And Johnnie To clearly has a ability with navigating Woo-esque action sequences...But is this a film that needs a remake? And, an even more pertinent issue, will Americans accept an actual remake of "Hard Boiled"?

I understand everybody's...caution when it comes to approaching this film. But, at worst, we'll get a crappy remake that we don't have to buy. At best, we'll get Johnnie To's take on Hard Boiled. Except, if they HAVE to make it a remake, I would've rather seen it made in Hong Kong. But, I'm generally excited about this.

Key points of appledaily article:
- budget for movie is USD$50m
- production will begin next May/June
- Johnnie To said that aside from the title, the plot will be entirely different from John Woo's version, although it'll still center around 2 cops. The US company that acquired the rights is now coming up with a new script. The movie will mainly consist of gun shooting scenes, though he does not forsee that Chow will be heavily involved in too many dangerous stunts.

The article also listed some of the hk movies that the 2 colloborated on - such as Story of Ah Long. They've been friends for 30+ years.

Personally I think it's a retarded idea although I'm fans of both. Johnnie To's scripts are enough to stand on their own, is that the best way to break into the US market? Blah.

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Right after I posted, I read this http://www.kaijushakedown.com/2006/03/johnnie_to_exis.html . LOL.

Remakes these days are basically just using the original film's title with a completely different story that's depicted on-screen(ala "Dawn Of The Dead","Assault On Precient 13","The Texas Chainsaw Massacre",and "House Of Wax"),for why complain about it,since I'm sure that the combined forces of Johnny To and Chow Yun Fat(back in his original role)will make this work(as long as they cast the right American actor for Tony Leung's role,and keep the original's tough-edged violence as intact as possible).

There is a Hard Boiled sequel being made as a video game, with both John Woo and Yun-Fat. It's called Stranglehold, and looks amazing.