Back in 2007 it was announced that a remake of John Woo’s classic Hong Kong action flick The Killer was in development. We hadn’t heard much about it since then, but alas, it would appear that the project is finally moving forward and currently in pre-production, looking for financing. Deadline New York recently came across a sales announcement for the project, and not only does it reveal some casting details, but it also confirms that John Woo will be producing and that the movie will be released in 3D:

Producer John Woo said: “While all my films are special to me, THE KILLER is truly one of my favorites. We are thrilled to reinvent it as an English-language film and know it’s in capable hands by the incredible visual style and tender emotion John H. Lee brings to all his films.”

John Fremes, President of Worldwide Distribution at Essential Entertainment said: “John Woo’s THE KILLER is one of the most influential and classic action films of all-time. The 3D version will no doubt appeal to fans of the original as well as capture a new generation of enthusiasts.”

Korean action star Jung Woo-Sung (Reign of Assassins, The Good, The Bad, The Weird) will attempt to fill the shoes of Chow Yun-Fat as a hitman who “risks everything to protect a beautiful singer that he unintentionally blinded.” John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember) will direct from a script written by newcomer Josh Campbell.

While I’m not necessarily dead set against a remake of The Killer, I don’t really understand why they are making an English language version with a Korean star and a lesser known Korean-American director. If the idea is to bring this film to a bigger audience, then I don’t see this succeeding. Still, I’m at least somewhat curious to see how the same story is handled by a different filmmaker in 3D, although I suspect that it won’t actually be shot in 3D and only post-converted. What do you think, is The Killer worth remaking, or is this just a waste of time and money?