Mandate today announced that Spike Lee will direct their English language remake of Old Boy, the South Korean film that has been highly regarded since its debut and Grand Prize Jury Award at Cannes back in 2004.
Will Smith and Steven Spielberg were originally looking at the project back in 2008 before Mandate took over the rights. With Lee on board, a new push could be made to land Smith in the protagonist’s role. Whether Smith is pursued or not upon his completion of Men in Black 3, expect Lee to piece together his cast sooner rather than later.
Mark Protosevich wrote the adapted Old Boy screenplay for Mandate. The story focuses on a man who is kidnapped on his daughter’s birthday and not released from solitary confinement until 15 years later. Once out, he learns his kidnappers have additional plans for him that make solitary confinement look like vacation.
Spike Lee’s last film was the World War II drama Miracle at St. Anna which was released in 2008. That film is currently available on Blu-ray and VOD, as is the original Old Boy from director Chan-wook Park.
