For over two decades there have been seemingly dozens of false starts for a remake of John Woo’s cult classic The Killer.
Now, Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Film Studios will finance the project, produced by Woo and Terence Chang. John H. Lee will direct with a script by Josh Campbell and rising star Sarah Yan Li will co-star in this Los Angeles set thriller.
For those unfamiliar with the original film might not realize how influential the over-the top action and style was to a number of Western directors including Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Sam Raimi.
Full press release after the jump.
Bruno Wu To Finance John Woo-Produced Remake Of ‘The Killer’Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Film Studios (SSFS) has agreed to finance John Woo and Terence Chang’s Lion Rock Productions ‘THE KILLER’, the English language retelling of John Woo’s iconic 1989 action film. John H. Lee (A MOMENT TO REMEMBER, 71: INTO THE FIRE) will direct the script by Josh Campbell (ONE SQUARE MILE). Sarah Yan Li, China’s most promising rising star, will co-star in the thriller. Additionally, Li is a top graduate from China Central Academy of Performing Arts, China’s top performing art academy, and was recently selected as the spokesperson of China’s leading automaker Brilliance Automobile. Li is repped by CAA.
Lion Rock’s John Woo and Terence Chang will produce alongside Lion Rock’s Lori Tilkin, who will executive produce. Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars will finance the film which begins filming Q4 2012 in Toronto. Seven Stars’ CEO Fred Milstein closed the deal prior to Cannes.
Bruno Wu, Chairman of Seven Stars Global Entertainment (SSGE), the parent company of SSFS, said: “SSFS and Lion Rock is the perfect team to bring this iconic project to the global audience. I have always admired John Woo’s work and am confident he and John Lee are the ideal filmmaking duo.”
Lion Rock Productions John Woo said: “THE KILLER” is one of my most beloved projects. I have wanted to make an English-language remake and thrilled to have John H. Lee on board to make that happen. Lee brings a perfect blend of emotion and stunning visuals to his films and I have supreme confidence he’ll bring this story to a new generation and do it justice.”
Set in present day Los Angeles, Jef, a highly skilled contract killer falls in love with the only living witness to his latest job, a female singer (Sarah Yan Li) who was blinded during the hit. Meanwhile, Detective Vaughn, the cop assigned to investigate Jef’s hit, has a chance to save his reputation when he correctly, and fatefully, suspects Jef to be the killer, but after witnessing Jef display an act of heroism, Vaughn’s perceptions of right and wrong begin to change.
John H. Lee’s award-winning film A MOMENT TO REMEMBER remains the highest-grossest Korean film in Japan to date and won the Grand Bell Award for its screenplay.
As recently announced, Harvest Seven Stars Media Private Equity (HSSMPE), which is a subsidiary of Seven Stars Film Studios (SSFS), will invest $800 million across two distinct areas: mergers and acquisitions in the media field and the development of a marketing and distribution platform in all media throughout China, plus the creation of content. In addition, the company recently tapped Fred Milstein President, International, HSSMPE and Chief Executive Officer of SSFS.
