Controversial French Film Martyrs to Get U.S. Remake

Posted by on May 27th, 2010   Filed under: Horror, International, Remakes, Sci-fi
Source: Bloody Disgusting

Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs is a movie that had people talking ever since it premiered at Cannes back in 2008. I’ve been a little hesitant to check it out since the film is known primarily for its extreme violence (it received an 18+ rating in France, which is pretty rare), but I’ve heard from numerous people that there is also an intriguing science-fiction element underlying the whole thing. Either way, the movie is clearly not for mainstream viewers, which is why I was shocked to hear that Martyrs is getting an English language remake… from one of the producers of Twilight.

The good folks over at Bloody Disgusting recently caught up with Vacancy writer Mark L. Smith, who spilled the beans on the remake, along with a handful of other projects he is working on. Although it is still in the early stages of development, Smith wrote the latest draft for the U.S. remake of Martyrs, which is being produced by Wyck Godfrey (Twilight, Dear John, When a Stranger Calls).

Details are still somewhat scarce, but the main question is, will it be sanitized for North American audiences? Seeing as there is a big studio behind it (20th Century Fox), I’m going to guess that it will. Unfortunately, from what I know of the movie’s story and themes, it seems like scaling back the violence could undermine the whole thing. Have you seen Martyrs, and if so, how do you feel about an American remake? The trailer for the original is embedded below.



  • Matt

    There have been a ton of really violent and bloody french movies lately, High Tension and Frontiers both come to mind. I did enjoy them both though so I’ll check this one out

  • fatbologna

    Martyrs was a pretty decent entry in the new wave of French horror. I personally preferred Inside, which came out a little before Martyrs but both were grueling films to sit through. I don’t see how a remake of this is of any use. There was barely any dialogue and it was very well made. Seems like a Funny Games type of situation to me, only it’s not even Laugier remaking his own film.

    If they’re going to keep remaking stuff why not go back a little further to the 50s, 60s and 70s? I’d much rather see a remake of something like “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” than a remake of a foreign film from 2 years ago…

  • anton

    i loved this movie. actually one of my fav horror flicks. what a weird change of direction in the middle of the film…

  • rjdelight

    That pic is a bit spoilerish, no?

  • I don’t know, I haven’t seen it! Just thought it was an interesting image.

  • TheAllKnowingGod

    Whoever told you there was a sci-fi element in Martyrs is talking out of their rectum.

  • kyriacos

    The concept is a bit challenging but its not that violent, mainly because of low budget..
    Red Paint and Make up cannot do miracles you know..
    ..

  • The film cannot balance its shift in tone, from pandering to satire to pretentious religious gobblety-gook. People are out to lunch on this film, beyond the violence and the posturing, there is very little to Martyrs – and any producer trying to faithfully remake this in Hollywood has their work cut out for them.

  • Joe

    Even though I love horror films it’s still really rare that they manage to scare me… but Martyrs horrified me so much. Seriously scary shit.

  • @6 Sci-Element? What?
    @9 I couldn’t agree more. It had me too. Brutal.

    Martyrs Film Review:
    http://film-book.com/film-review-martyrs/

    Martyrs Movie Poster:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/30693123@N04/3725314934/

  • joe

    The original looks awesome. I know enough not to watch a remake. DVD added to my netflix!

  • Benji O

    I like a lot of horror and “extreme” cinema – including those made by the French. I loved “High Tension.” I wasn’t particularly fond of “Irreversible,” but I could handle it…I love Miike’s “Audition,” Park Chan-Wook’s “Revenge” trilogy (“Oldboy,” etc), Von Trier’s “Antichrist”…

    But “Martyrs” takes it way too far for me. This is some seriously demented sh*t, people. I wish I hadn’t seen it. You can’t unsee a movie…I watched it yesterday and pretty much feel like my imagination has been raped. It’s a well-made film, but I would not recommend the experience of watching it to anyone. Especially the 2nd half, it’s unbearable to watch because of the extreme torture and violence and it has a really nasty and perverted philosophy behind it which really makes the impact of the film hit much deeper in the gut than something that is merely violent.

    And yes, that picture above is spoilerish. (Though since I’m not recommending the film I guess I shouldn’t care enough to mention that!)

  • MissJudy

    I 100% agree with Benji O. I had to cleanse my squeamish gut with hours of Big Bang Theory. And I still had a sick feeling in my tummy.

  • Djw982

    Yes this is probably the most disturbing film I have ever seen, but there’s something about it. While watching it I wanted to turn it off but couldn’t. This film makes all saw ,and hostel movies look like Disney films. Those films are fun to watch this one isn’t. It’s been one week since I’ve seen it, but I still can’t seem to get it out of my head. An American remake would ruin everything that this film is. This in no way shape of form belongs anywhere near hollywood.

  • Horror Fan

    I think a cleansed American remake would ruin the message in the film. You are supposed to be sick at the end (if you r human). The film challenges your view of humanity and the selfish lengths some will go to. You can’t clean it up and get the message out.

  • A remake for Americans would be a mistake. There is no way this movie could be changed without the point being missed. I am a gal who traditionally liked more avant garde horror films until I met me spouse and now love even Friday the 13th part 5.

    Martyrs takes one of my favorite genres: revenge, and turns it on its proverbial head. It’s basically 3 acts with the final being the most difficult but rewarding to watch. Yes it is cerebral but there is enough gore, maybe even too much for some, to appeal to horror traditionalists. That being said I think the folks who enjoy films by Michael Haneke, Lars Von Trier, Quentin Tarentino and Takashi Miike may get more out of it.

    As a female and a (recovering) Catholic I found Martyrs particurlary appealing because of the way victimhood/martyrdom was explored. At one point a particular character notes *how easy it is to create a victim but that a martyr is able to transcend themselves and bear the worlds sins.* This is a very powerful paradigm for people belonging to religious faiths that venerate martyrs.

    I found the last act of the film wrenching but beautiful and cried at the talent of the actress to convey what she did. The last three minutes of the film shocked me but gave much food for thought on what truly happened to our protagonist.

    France invented the gothic Catholic cathedral and so it is no surprise from France we recieved a film such as this. If Americans can capture the grace and message of Martyrs combined with the gore of it I would truly be mystified.

  • I Wish I Was French

    Benji O. doesn’t seem to get that the point of the movie is to make you feel sick. We are so used to violence being entertaining that we really need films like Martyrs to show us there is nothing funny or ironic or entertaining about torture and violence. And not just show us but to make us actually feel it. In all its violence it is more anti-violence than anything I have ever seen in the horror genre.

    Martyrs literally forces us to question why we want to be entertained by bloody murder. You can make a million crappy sequels to crappy films like Saw and Hostel and they will all be pretentious and sadistic in nature because in the end they want us to view violence as something witty and funny and unreal. While Martyrs is harsh, brutal and disturbing, it has a very humane core. And even in it’s exaggerating moments it is more real than all of these We Know Who You Sawed to Pieces In The Lame Horror Hit of Last Summer flicks. Really – who wanted to watch violent movies right after seeing Martyrs?

    Martyrs is complex in ways American filmmakers aren’t able to grasp. Any remake will be crap simply because American horror movies lack the honesty and nuances of French ones and American movie studios are just too big people-pleasing cowards to make uncompromising films for smaller audiences.

  • Quiet Cool 82

    Martyrs is an endurance test unless there discipline behind the camera (like when Let The Right One In Was adapted to Let Me In), the american remake will neuter this awesome insane french film…..One of the best horror films of the ’00’s…