When we last reported on the remake of THE RAID: THE REDEMPTION, which Patrick Hughes (RED HILL, THE EXPENDABLES 3) was set to direct for Screen Gems and XYZ Films, Taylor Kitsch had been offered the lead role. Kitsch took the offer, but at the time the film was set to enter production in January of 2015. Obviously that didn't happen, so due to the delay Kitsch ended up exiting the picture.
Now the remake has received an even harsher blow, as Screen Gems has dropped out of the project, taking with them a distribution deal with Sony. Not only that, but Patrick Hughes has decided to move on from it as well.
XYZ Films is now developing this new RAID on their own. Luckily, the great Frank Grillo still remains attached to star in it.
The original RAID's writer/director Gareth Evans is executive producing the remake and has contributed to the screenplay, drafts of which have been written by RUN ALL NIGHT's Brad Ingelsby and RED's Erich and Jon Hoeber. The script remains faithful to its predecessor's storyline and
centers on an elite SWAT team tasked with raiding an impenetrable safe house in which one of the world’s most notorious drug lords resides. When a spotter tips the drug lord off to the impending assault, the building’s lights are cut and all exits blocked. Stranded on the 6th floor, the squad must fight their way through the city’s most dangerous gangsters in order to survive.
It's a very simple concept that should be easy to make another fun action movie out of, so I'm not sure why the remake is going through so many troubles and delays. When it comes down to it, though, I don't see another take on the material turning out to be as intense and mind-blowingly awesome as the original.
THE RAID 2's Julie Estelle
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