Well, its my first article of 2018. I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. Before I get into the meat of this one – I just want to quickly cover my plan for this blog in 2018. You see, normally when I write – I tend to do so on the fly with no pre-planning except for major holidays like Halloween, Christmas and so on. But this year I have a plan… several in fact.
My Plans
First up and something regular readers may notice creeping into a lot of articles over the next 12 months. The 15th of July this year marks not only my birthday but also the 30th anniversary since the release of Die Hard. And I fucking love Die Hard – I mean, this was my Christmas jumper this year…
So pre-warning… there will be a lot of Die Hard related stuff this year. With retrospectives looking back at all the films and games, behind the scenes ‘making of’ write ups and much more. There will be Die Hard centric articles as well as just passing references and nods to the film(s) throughout the year. 2018 is the year of Die Hard for me. Yippie kai-yay mother fuckers!
Secondly, I will be trying my hand at some new series with multiple articles all connected via a common theme. I’m going to take a look at several movie/character/actor curses this year. Plus I have an idea to compare specific movies to the books/novels that inspired them. No prizes for guessing what my first one will be about (see my first note above).
Third, I have an idea buzzing around in my head for a book I wish to write. I’m keeping this one under my hat for the time being, but I have been researching a particular niche topic over the last 5 months or so that I feel could make an interesting book. So I’m going to write an in-depth article right here that connects to my concept and give a taste of what my plan is to test the waters…
Finally – I aim to finish my vigilante novel that I have been writing the last few months. I’m around halfway through right now. There’s still a long way to go yet and a lot more writing to do. But this year is where I push myself to write more so than I ever have done before.
Anyway, on with the show.
Love them or hate them – sequels and remakes are here to stay. Over the next few years we could be seeing old faces return as well as new ones playing much loved characters as more and more films are due to be sequalised and remade. Some of the films in this list are confirmed, but some are still in the very early development/rumour phase and may never see the light of day. Regardless – I’ll be taking a look at some upcoming sequels and remakes as well as offer my opinion on whether I’m looking forward to them or not.
The Sequels
Die Hard 6… told you didn’t I?
Yes John McClane is set to be heading back to the big screen for the fifth sequel in the franchise. Let’s be honest here, Bruce Willis is getting on a bit now and he just can’t do the same films he was doing 30 years ago. Which I why I think this sequel is going the route it is. The film’s title is rumoured to being Die Hardest or Die Hard: Year One and will not be a straight up sequel – it’s being suggested that the film with be both a sequel and a prequel in one movie.
There will be ‘present’ segments of the film with Willis playing the iconic John McClane – and now retired as a cop but then some of the film will also be set in 1979 telling the story of a young, rookie cop McClane in New York years before the whole Nakatomi Plaza ordeal from the first film. Its also said to show the early relationship between John and his future wife, Holly before they became estranged.
My feelings on this one are a bit mixed. I adore the first film – I really, really do. I massively enjoy the first sequel. The third film I keep going back and forth between of liking and just putting up with. The last two? Fuck them. The whole franchise is a mixed bag of inconsistency. Part of me wants to see Willis back as McClane but another part of me just thinks they should let the series die… hard. I’m really not all that interested in seeing a young McClane to be honest.
Lethal Weapon 5
From one Christmas classic getting a sequel to another. It seems that the ‘on the edge’ Martin Riggs and still retiring after 30 years Roger Murtaugh could be coming back for one more flick.
Recently, Lethal Weapon legendary director – Richard Donner took part in a podcast where he discussed his illustrious career and future plans and part of those plans involved a new Lethal Weapon sequel. Donner had this to say…
“It’s a story I came up with Channing Gibson, the writer who wrote [Lethal Weapon] 4, and I’m just having to work it out with the studio. If everybody steps up and we all get together, we’ll make it. Mel and Danny are on board. If they don’t… if it doesn’t work out, at least we tried. But there’s a good… a better chance that you will see the movie.”
So things sound like they are moving ahead with the fifth film in the series. Everyone is on board and Donner just needs to sell the idea to the studio.
My views on this one pretty much mirror my views for Die Hard 6 – I love the first two flicks, the later sequels though… I can take or leave. There is a part of me that would love to see Gibson and Glover get back together as these two have magical chemistry – but then I also think the franchise has run its ground. Plus, lets be honest here. Both of them are “getting too old for this shit”.
Shaft 2
Ya, damnnnnnn right. It also looks the the bad mother… (shut yo mouth) – but I’ talkin’ bout Shaft, so you can dig it – could also be returning. Yes the remake of Shaft from 2000 that wasn’t a remake but a sequel is getting a sequel itself. Okay, before I continue – please allow me to clear something up, the 2000 Shaft film was NOT a remake as many people like to claim. It was a sequel with Samuel L. Jackson paying the nephew of the original Shaft…the film even had the original Shaft (Richard Roundtree) in it.
Anyway, this sequel is said to be a direct sequel to the 2000 Shaft film and Samuel L. himself is coming back to be joined by Regnia Hall as Variety reported a few weeks back. Even more so…Richard Roundtree is also said to be returning as the original Uncle Shaft too. The plot revolves around nephew Shaft’s son played by Jessie T. Usher who investigates the death of one of his close friends and asks his estranged father for help.
You know something, this is a sequel I can dig. I thought the 2000 Shaft flick was damn entertaining but sadly overlooked. Getting back both the original Shaft as well as nephew Shaft could be awesome. Teaming up with son of Shaft. That’s a lot of Shaft. Yes, I’m fully aware that I’ve written the word ‘Shaft‘ a lot but he’s a complicated man – no one understand him but his woman.
Creed 2
I love the Rocky franchise. The more recent flicks in the series have been amazing and the last film, Creed was by favourite film of 2015. So of course I’m eagerly awaiting the next part of this epic saga and after the amazing success of Creed, a sequel was all but inevitable.
So details on Creed 2 are slim, but seeing as Stallone has been posting picks of himself and old Rocky rival Dolph Lundgren – its not hard to piece together what Creed 2 will be about. It looks like Ivan Drago from Rocky IV will be back and rumours are suggesting that Drago will be bringing along his son too. For those not in the know, there is some bad blood between the Drago family and the Creed bloodline…to put it mildly. So it seems this new flick will be about Adonis Creed (possibly) seeking revenge for what happened to his father, Apollo in Rocky IV.
I don’t know if I’m looking forward to this one. I can not stress enough how much I loved Creed, the film is sublime. I adore how they took it back to basics and grounded it in reality, if felt raw and real. And this is where my problem lies as Rocky IV was anything but raw and real – I personally consider the film the bastard of the franchise as its so ridiculous and lost all of the heart the other films had. Yes, I even consider Rocky V a ‘better’ sequel over Rocky IV. I just do not see how these two worlds can work together – Creed with its heavy emotion and character driven plot tied with Rocky IV complete with its talking robot and 7ft tall indestructible video game boss. Plus the whole revenge motif just does not interest me either. I’d love to see a sequel to Creed, but I have no interest in seeing a sequel to Rocky IV. This could be a cocktail that is pure genius or utterly terrible.
John Wick 3
I thought the John Wick flicks were awesome. True action pictures directed brilliantly, simple plots and really just about seeing a talented hitman shoot people in the head…a lot. The first film became an instant action classic and the sequel was even better. The way the last film ended, there just had to be a sequel.
Derek Kolstad, who wrote the first two films has been hired to write the third and Keanu Reeves is set to return too – because it wouldn’t be a John Wick film without him would it? Details are thin on the ground but going off the end of the last flick, we can be sure old Johnny boy is in trouble with the Continental – the organisation of assassins he once worked for. Prepare yourself of a lot of gun-play, car chases and fisticuffs.
Can’t wait for this one and if original director – Chad Stahelski returns too (he may be busy with another project), this could round off and become one of the great modern trilogies of cinema.
Gremlins 3
Looks like yet another Christmas classic could be getting a new sequel. The original Gremlins was a wonderful mix of horror, comedy and action. One of the last great PG films before PG films became diluted messes. Gremlins 2: The New Batch was also a cracker but for very different reasons – with its forth wall breaking and self-aware humour. Writer of the first flick, Chris Columbus has already written a third film in the series.
Columbus says the script is completed and that its going to be more like the first film with its dark, twisted tone and style.
“I’m really proud of the script. It is as twisted and dark as anything, so we’ll see. It’s always a budgetary conversation when we’re going to shoot it. I wanted to go back to the really twisted sensibility of the first movie. I found that was a very easy place for me to fall back into and start writing again so hopefully we’ll see that movie soon.”
Zach Galligan, who played Billy Peltzer in the first two movies in the franchise has also said that the movie is moving forward and how he is excited to be in the picture. All that is left to do is convince Warner Brothers that this is a project worth investing in and with the 35th anniversary of the first film coming up in 2019 – the timing could work out well, but they need to start ASAP.
Yeah I wanna see a Gremlins 3, especially if they can get the original cast and crew back. With Columbus’ script ready to go and as dark as the first film, Galligan eager to get involved, if they can get Steven Spielberg back as producer too – this could be a slice of fried gold.
Coming To America 2
Back in the late 80s through to the mid 90s, Eddie Murphy was cinematic gold. He starred in some of the best comedy films of that era. When he teamed up with John Landis for the second time after Trading Places for their next project, Coming To America, they hit comedy gold. Now it seems that Prince Akeem could be returning.
There had been rumours for years about a sequel, but nothing ever came of them. But things now seem to be moving ahead full steam. Sadly, Landis is no longer on board and sitting in the director’s chair this time will be Jonathan Levine. With a script written by Levine and Kenya Barris, who created the hit sitcom Black-ish. What the plot will be about is unknown right now and its still early days yet so anything can happen. Murphy is expected to return as Prince (or possibly by now, King) Akeem and even Arsenio Hall could return as his right hand servant, Semmi.
I love the original flick and its probably my favourite Murphy picture. So I’m looking forward to this one…but I have been stung in the past by decades gap sequels to great comedy movies. Hopefully this is one that can break that tradition. I don’t know whether to shake your hand, or kiss it, or bow, or what… I feel like breakdancin’. With most of the cast still able to return (sadly no Madge Sinclair) I just hope they flesh out the Cuba Gooding Jr. character. But they had better not call it Coming 2 America – I hate that shit.
Remakes
An American Werewolf In London
From one John Landis classic to another. Yes the greatest werewolf movie ever is being remade. The original is a damn fine film, its scary and darkly hilarious too – a perfect melding of comedy and horror. But just who as the sheer brass balls to even think about remaking this film and dare to step into the shoes of the great John Landis?
Well none other than his own son. Max Landis is writing and directing this remake, in fact young Landis says he has finished the first draft of the screenplay, so things are moving forward.
I’m quite looking forward to this one and I adore the original. I’m open to a new version of one of my all time favourites but I think Max has some pretty big shoes to fill. I just hope he makes the film his way and not the way he thinks he father thinks he should.
The Crow
1994’s The Crow, based on the graphic novel by James O’ Barr was a flawed masterpiece. And yes, we very sadly lost Brandon Lee due to a tragic on set accident too. For many people, they think the fact Lee lost his life making the film is enough for the remake not to happen.
Look, The Crow was an okay flick – I enjoyed it immensely back then…not so much now. Yes its upsetting that an actor lost his life while making it too – but there is so much the movie left out from its source material, which for me I felt was a FAR superior story. This remake is said to follow the graphic novel much more closely and even its creator O’ Barr is on board giving this new version his full support. With Corin Hardy directing Jason Momoa as Eric. Production is said to start this February.
Yes I’m looking forward to this one because I am such a huge fan of the original graphic novel and I feel there is so much more a film version can do that the 1994 version didn’t. The fact its going to follow the source material much closer is great news instead of it being a straight up remake of the 1994 flick.
Big Trouble In Little China
John Carpenter has had several of his films remade over the years and it looks like things are not going to be changing anytime soon either. Next up is his awesome tale of kung-fu and magic as Jack Burton is coming back to the big screen.
News of this remake broke last summer with Dwayne (I actually really like this guy) Johnson set to not only play Jack Burton in the remake but also produce it too. He has also said he wants Carpenter himself involved in the project.
The original is a stupidly over the top action/adventure kung-fu flick…and its magnificent. If they can get this right, it could work out well as they just don’t make pictures this stupid anymore.
Escape From New York
See, I told you John Carpenter films get remade a lot. Even the mighty Snake Plissken is going to be ‘reborn’ in the form of a remake. The bleak, dystopian New York is all set to be re-imagined…and its sounding good so far.
The script has been completed and written by Luther creator Neil Cross. He has even sent it to John Carpenter who has given the project his seal of approval. No news on who will be playing Snake in the remake but a director has been announced. Robert Rodriguez is going to helm this project.
This is another one I am genuinely looking forward to. The original is a classic, no doubt about it and its a film I adore so damn much. But this remake really has piqued my interest as I’m a huge fan of Rodriguez who is in turn a huge fan of Carpenter – so I think they have got the right man for the job here as he will treat the film with respect. I just hope we get hard edged Sin City Rodriguez and not the family friendly Spy Kids one.
Death Wish
Vigilante films don’t get much better than the 1974 original as its often held up as the archetype of the sub-genre. This Charles Bronson revenge film is a dirty, grimy action packed masterpiece.
The remake is has been directed by Eli Roth. I say ‘has been’ because the film is completed and ready for release, there’s already trailer for it too. Bruce Willis is playing Paul Kersey who after his wife is killed and daughter left in hospital following an attack at their home, goes out for revenge on those responsible.
Now I’ve seen the trailer – I’m not convinced by this one. The original had a style that worked and the underlining message was one that showed vigilantism in a bad light. This remake looks too glossy and cookie-cutter ‘shooty-shooty, bang-bang’. It could just be the way the trailer is cut and the finished film might be much better. Plus as much as I love Willis…hes a lame stand-in for Charlie B.
Highlander
Ahhhhh, Highlander. A cracking first flick – then a deluge of shit after it. A franchise I have covered previously and came to the conclusion that there should’ve been only one.
A remake makes a lot of sense when the franchise has been completely ruined by bad sequel after bad sequel after bad sequel. Plus there is the fact that Chad Stahelski is directing it…which was why I questioned his involvement in John Wick 3 earlier. It has been reported that Drew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, who have been working on the Ant-Man movies have been hired to write this remake and to get the project moving forward.
This is one I’m definitely looking forward to. I’m a big fan of the original and as much as I love the film – it has many, many problems. I hope this remake irons out several of the creases. Plus there is the fact that Stahelski is directing it and I think he’s a great choice for this one. There is one troubling factor about this remake, the soundtrack. Any Highlander fan will tell you that the music by Queen is just as important to the film as the story and characters are and with Queen no longer the same band they once were – that leaves a pretty big gap in the film’s production. Even Stahelski himself has expressed concern of this problem.
“The tone of the first one just hit at that weird music video edge in the 80s that had Queen and for some reason, Queen just fits. I don’t think you can do Highlander and bring about that kind of tone again with the mythological world and take it too seriously. Just as we did with Wick, you can’t kill 80 people over a puppy and take yourself seriously. We got to let the audience know that we’re having fun and that there is a world here.
Point being I can’t see Highlander without Queen, without the Queen center, without having Freddy Mercury, Prince of the Universe, and all this stuff. I can’t picture the movie in my head without it.”
It seems that Stahelski wants Queen on the soundtrack as much as any self-respecting Highlander fan does…he seems like the right guy for the job.
Rambo
Yeah, yeah I know the first film is called First Blood and not Rambo, but everyone calls it Rambo anyway. Even the upcoming remake is going with that title…sort of.
Yes John Rambo could be heading back to the big screen only without Sly Stallone as a remake is being worked on right now. With the title said to be Rambo: New Blood and it being written by Brooks McLaren with the film to be directed by Ariel Vromen.
This one seems a bit sketchy right now as details seem to change on a weekly basis. From Stallone originally returning, to it being turned into a TV show which will focus on John Rambo’s son with Stallone in a secondary role to it now being said that Stallone is out completely and the film will be a hard reset/remake instead. Nothing has been confirmed and as far as I can tell, there is no script yet either. Who knows?
Well there you have it, a handful of sequels and remakes that are on the way over the next few years if things go to plan. There are so many more I haven’t mentioned but I can always cover more later. For now – I have more writing to get on with and several Die Hard related articles to plan…
Little Bits of Gaming & Movies 