BAFTA-winning actress/producer Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You,” “BEen So Long,” “Chewing Gum”) has reportedly been set to both pen and direct a reimagining of the iconic 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme film “Bloodsport” at A24.
Attempts have been made to remake the film over the years, most notably by Australian directors Phil Noyce (“Clear and Present Danger”) and James McTeigue (“V for Vendetta”) but none of those versions ever got off the ground.
Coel seems an unusual selection at first, but the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star said in a statement: “I have long been in awe of fighters, and astounded by the discipline, intensity and isolation the sport demands of them. I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. LET’S F—ING GO.”
One of the first lead roles for Belgian star Van Damme, the original film effectively launched his career as an action icon and was a big success, taking in $50 million on a budget of around $2 million.
It also led to a resurgence of the martial arts film genre in the United States. The movie had Van Damme playing Frank Dux, a U.S. Army captain and ninjutsu practitioner who competes in an underground full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong. Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao, and Bolo Yeung co-stared.
Coel will soon be seen again on screens in A24’s “Mother Mary”.
Source: THR
