Spike Lee is an Oldboy!

Controversial and outspoken director Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Summer of Sam) has officially signed-on to remake the South Korean cult-classic, Oldboy.

Variety reports that the 54-year-old director who’s been theatrically dormant since 2008’s Miracle at St Anna is helming the Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) adaptation.

Many directors have been muted to present an English version of this gritty and explosive thriller, including Mark Romanek as well as Steven Spielberg who had Will Smith set to play the imprisoned powder keg, who once released from his 15-year-kidnapping discovers his captors had sadism most unique and savage on their minds.

The original film won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and is renowned for its visual style akin to John Woo meets Blade Runner via Tarantino’s basement – with lashings of violence and psychological mastery.

It’s no surprise that the film won under a Tarantino jury at Cannes, with the Kill Bill director since being a favourite of fan boys everywhere to also helm the remake. Yet Spike Lee shouldn’t pull any punches when it comes to the story’s darker undertones and revelations. As for Smith’s involvement in the lead, seeing as he just turned down the lead for Tarantino’s Django Unchained, one would assume it was another project of equal importance that’s now locked into the schedule… stay tuned!

original Oldboy trailer: