James Wan to Produce Train to Busan Remake
Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie thriller Train to Busan was a box office sensation in South Korea back in 2016 but it also caught on internationally, eventually earning $87 million worldwide. With that in mind, it’s no surprise to hear that a follow-up is in the works with a sequel being officially announced last month. This week, however, we are also hearing that a U.S. remake is on the way and that it has sparked a bidding war between several major studios. Hit the jump for the full scoop.
According to Deadline, The Conjuring director James Wan is currently setting up a remake of the train-based zombie flick Train to Busan through his Atomic Monster production company. Frequent James Wan collaborator Gary Dauberman will write the script, but no director is attached as of yet. Dauberman has penned a string of recent horror hits including Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun and Stephen King’s It, but he will reportedly make his directorial debut with the upcoming Annabelle 3.
From what we are hearing, New Line is currently in negotiations to acquire the rights (which makes sense considering Wan has worked with them extensively), but Paramount, Lionsgate and Screen Gems are also interested. The deal is expected to close this week somewhere in the seven-figure range. Considering that the original Train to Busan made only $2 million in the U.S. (theatrically, anyway) it seems like there is a big untapped audience for this movie. Are you interested in seeing an English-language remake of Train to Busan?