It was only a matter of time before news emerged about the South Korean zombie film Train to Busan getting an American remake. And, it seems like that time has come.
According to Deadline, Gary Dauberman, writer and producer for The Nun, as well as a writer for It (2017) and the Annabelle films, will script the Train to Busan remake. Horror powerhouse James Wan (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring) will produce the film. The director and production company are yet to be announced at the time of this article. However, Deadline states that New Line, Paramount, Lionsgate, and Screen Gems are all in talks.
Train to Busan premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival in May and was released in July of the same year. The film was directed by San-ho Yeon and stars Gong Yoo, Kim Su-an, Jung Yu-mi, and Ma Dong-seok. It grossed over $90 million worldwide and was a massive box office hit in South Korea.The film did not perform as well here in America, which is a shame considering it was one of the best zombie films made in recent years. Hopefully, the remake will drive horror fans to see the original, as well.
The original film features a father (Gong Yoo), who focuses too much on his work, and his young daughter (Kim Su-an) as they travel by train to Busan to see the girl’s mother. A woman who also boarded the train is infected with a virus, which quickly turns her into a zombie once she succumbs to it. It doesn’t take long for a large percentage of the train to get infected, as well. The film takes the 28 Days Later approach and gives the infected speed, agility, and a whole lot of rage. The father and daughter, along with other passengers, try to survive the ordeal on the train, only to discover that it is a widespread epidemic.
In addition to being a heart-pounding thriller, Train to Busan also succeeds in taking viewers on a heartfelt emotional roller coaster. Because of that, it will be interesting to see the cast for the film, especially the young Soo-an. Actress Su-an Kim gave a brilliant and unforgettable performance that will likely not be topped.
The original Train to Busan is currently available on Netflix, VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray.
