A remake of Newt Arnold’s 1988 film Bloodsport, the martial arts extravaganza that launched Jean-Claude Van Damme to superstardom, has been in development-hell for well over 14+ years.
Director Phillip Noyce (Salt) and screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (Taken) were once attached. Then the project came into the hands of James McTeigue (Ninja Assassin) and Craig Rosenberg (The Uninvited), who would re-shape the “Frank Dux” narrative into the lives of 21st century mercenaries who would collide in the underground world of Brazilian Vale Tudo fighting.
Now, the folks at A24 have hitched frequent collaborator Michaela Coel (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) – best known for creating and starring in the television shows I May Destroy You and Chewing Gum – to write and direct a reimagination of Bloodsport (via Deadline).
The original Bloodsport followed Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.
Bloodsport is the movie put an expiration date on the two N-words: Ninjas and Norris. At the time, it was a groundbreaking, brutal and lived up to its title. To put it simply, it was Generation X’s answer to 1973’s Enter the Dragon. The fact that it was supposedly based on true events (that’s another story) made it even better.
Bloodsport also reintroduced the world to the legendary Bolo Yueng (Enter the Dragon) and co-starred future Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker. It was followed by 1996’s Bloodsport 2, 1997’s Bloodsport 3 and 1999’s Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite – all of which starred Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Atomic Blonde).
Hot Take: We haven’t seen any of Michaela Coel’s work yet, but this news is bound to surprise fans of the original film, regardless of where they stand on gender-related topics. That said, A24 has a strong track record. And it’s worth noting that female filmmakers have delivered their share of quality, hard-hitting action films – Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break), Teresa Woo (Angels 3) and Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone) are prime examples. And on the same token, male directors have delivered pure, unadulterated sh*t. John Moore (A Good Day to Die Hard) comes to mind. At the end of the day, meritocracy – over race, gender and everything else in between – will prevail. Let’s see what you got, Michaela!
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about this story. Also, be sure to check out our “Van Damme is the most ‘remade’ action star in the world!” article.
Bad idea. Stick to other movies Van Damme. It’s a shame they couldn’t just make some proper sequels or something of that type.
Why not just remake Double Dragon?
Double Impact’s box office gross: $30 million
Double Dragon’s box office gross: $2 million
:]
Yeah, but they gave us a new Street Fighter movie, anyway, so I say DD is fair game. =p
The street Fighter with Van Damme was much better than that Chun Li crap film.
They should do Double Impact 2 for sure. I’d take a Bloodsport sequel with Van Damme but not some hollywood remistake.
I’ll rock in a movie with you JcVd!
We can mix Lionheart and Kickboxer mash Grindhouse style!
that shit would hit, kick, and leave teeth.
Normally I would ignore this, but an A24 take on Bloodsport could be cool. I can imagine it will be less like the kind of action most readers here would hope for and probably be done in the style of a horror film.
Coel is certainly a left field choice! But I’ve heard nothing but good things about “I May Destroy You” and I love me some A24, so I’m all for it.
I haven’t watched A24’s The Smashing Machine yet, but that seems to give a bit of an idea of what this film could be like. (And its less than great reception was sad, so I hope all isn’t lost for the new Bloodsport)
The racist, misogynist right-wing pieces of shit who cry afoul may want this to fail, but thankfully they don’t decide what movies succeed.
Not every right-winger is racist or misogynistic, my friend.
A24 is a reputable company. And if this remake doesn’t land, we can always go back to the original Van Damme film.
Is it just me, or are they trying to Wachowski the approach to the material?
No, not everyone on the right wing, but the alt-right are the loudest and most active, and they love to flock to the online comments sections.
I wonder which fight choreographer would get hired for the new Bloodsport. Presumably, it’s not gonna be someone like in the Boyka films. It might even be Kirk Jenkins since A24 is close with him.
“And on the same token, male directors have delivered pure, unadulterated sh*t”
Like many women directors. So?
And Bigelow hasn’t directed an action movie since…a…long…time. Angels 3 is from…1989. Punisher : War zone is a piece of sh*t and comes from 2008.
Better arguments next time, OK?
P.S.: I haven’t seen Bloodsport and I won’t watch the remake too.
“Punisher : War zone is a piece of sh*t and comes from 2008.”???
In the hallowed words of our Barroom Cooler and Philosopher Dalton: Opinions Vary
Here comes the blackwashing again. Now not even the old low budget action classics are safe from this woke crap.
Also, Bloodsport was already remade as a chick movie with Lady Bloodfight which wasn´t very good, no matter how good looking Amy Johnston is.
And leave action movies and their writing for men, please.
There is no such thing as “blackwashing”, and women directors can make action films just as well as men. So your ignorant bigoted comments were completely unwarrented, and unasked for. Men are not the only people who can make films period—-what a stupid, ignorant and sexist thing to say. Go somewhere else with this stupid maga nonsense.
The comment sections attract such types. Just like 20 years ago, it’s better to not respond directly to them and feed the trolls. The worst they’ll do is downvote your comment.
I finally watched The Smashing Machine and it was good. It favored the drama over the action, but the fight sequences were still done well. I’d be happy if the new Bloodsport is like that but with more emphasis on fighting.
Lady Bloodfight could have been this movie, but it was marred by choppy editing and inconsistent choreography. That movie would have fared better under Issac Florentine or the Kirby Brothers with Tim Man or Andy Long doing the fight scenes.
I get that there’s movies people believe shouldn’t be remade, but was Bloodsport really that good? I do enjoy it as a guilty pleasure just like Kickboxer, but I will take the Boyka films over it any day. Nothing is getting ruined here.