Movies
Confirmed: Spike Lee Directs Dark Thriller ‘Oldboy’
After a three-year hiatus, Spike Lee has found his next feature directing project, committing to helm Mandate Pictures’ remake of the South Korean thriller Oldboy, as previously rumored late last week.
“The original story revolves around a man who’s kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years. When he’s finally released and begins looking into the reason for his captivity, he soon finds out that his kidnapper has even more torturous plans for him.”
The original film, released in 2003 and directed by Chan-wook Park, won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
Mark Protosevich has adapted the script with Roy Lee and Doug Davison producing through Vertigo Entertainment and 40 Acres & A Mule Productions. Mandate prexy Nathan Kahane will exec produce.
Oldboy has been a high priority at Mandate for some time, with Steven Spielberg at one point eyeing to direct and Will Smith circling to star. When Spielberg and Smith moved on, the project went under the radar as Mandate began searching for new candidates.
Just three years after Evil Dead Rise set the box office on fire with a $147 million worldwide haul, Evil Dead Burn was unleashed into theaters this past weekend. Unfortunately, the opening weekend for Evil Dead Burn wasn’t quite as strong as the debut for its predecessor.
Evil Dead Burn debuted in 3,004 theaters across North America and scared up $13.7 million in its domestic debut, about $10 million less than Evil Dead Rise‘s $24.5 million opening.
Worldwide, Evil Dead Burn debuted with $25 million. Given the film’s production budget was somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million, all is certainly not lost for Evil Dead Burn. That said, Warner Bros. and New Line no doubt hoped that Burn would top or at least match the domestic opening of Rise, but instead we’re looking at a case of diminishing franchise returns.
The good news for fans? Next installment Evil Dead Wrath has already wrapped production for expected release in 2028, so there’s no danger of the franchise ending with Evil Dead Burn.
Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) is currently set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, though that could change in the coming months.
Will the Evil Dead franchise be taking a break after Evil Dead Wrath? That all depends on how Wrath performs at the box office. But for what it’s worth, the post-credits scene at the end of Evil Dead Burn suggests that the franchise’s creators are hopeful for a bright future ahead.
The critical reception for Evil Dead Burn was a bit less positive than the reception to Evil Dead Rise, with Rise hitting 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and Burn currently sitting at 71%. It’s interesting to note, however, that the “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit higher for Burn than it was for Rise, with Burn‘s currently at 80% and Rise‘s sitting a tad lower at 76%.
The site’s “Popcornmeter” scores are decided by users, rather than verified movie critics.
Which do you prefer? Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn? Sound off below.
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