James Wan Will Direct The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil

English remakes of South Korean films are nothing new to the entertainment industry. It goes without saying that South Korean cinema has stories that are enjoyed worldwide and do really well in other markets.

After producing the Paranormal Activity reboot for Blumhouse, James Wan will direct The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, his next Blumhouse project — an English-language remake of a South Korean thriller. 

As per Empire Online, Oscar-winning writer Brian Helgeland wrote the original draft, and Shay Hatten, known for his work on the John Wick films and Rebel Moon (2023), is writing the screenplay. Wan will be accompanied by Michael Clear on the production side for his company, Atomic Monster. 

Interestingly, Don Lee is also producing via Big Punch Global and Balboa Productions. 

Plot details of The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil

Since the film will be a remake of the South Korean film, it is speculated that the story will be the same. The 2019 original follows the story of a vengeful crime boss, Jang Dong-soo (played by Ma Dong-seok, aka Don Lee), who is forced to make a dubious partnership with a detective, Tae-suk (Kim Moon-yul). 

They will be on a mission to catch the cunning serial killer, Z (Kim Sung-kyu), who attacked the crime boss.

With only 37 reviews, the film holds the throne with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes critics’ rating of 97 percent. It’s regarded as an underrated Korean gem, now being revived for global audiences in English.

Don Lee is also attached to the English remake. The renewed film doesn’t have a trailer at the moment, so let’s revisit the original.

James Wan steps into the director’s chair

Originally directed by Lee Won-Tae, South Korea proves to be home to some of the best crime thrillers in the global space. It makes effective use of gritty stories and occasionally disturbing imagery that adds to the layered narrative and retains the viewer’s attention.

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil will mark James Wan’s return after directing his 2023 superhero film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He has had a strong collaborative bond with Blumhouse as he is producing the upcoming installment of the Paranormal Activity franchise, whose director is the Undertone’s helmer, Ian Tuason.

Wan seems to be an apt choice to be seated in the director’s chair, as he has experience in crafting stories that combine psychological tension with shocking visuals. Films like Saw (2004), Insidious (2010), and the Conjuring franchise demonstrate the very fact that will translate well into crime thrillers.

Such crime thrillers demand meticulous timing, suspense, and the interplay between characters that drive the narrative forward. Wan’s increasing interest in adaptations and remakes will allow him to merge global storytelling sensibilities with his own cinematic style. 

James Wan will direct The Gangster, The Cop and The Devil: How will he adapt the Korean story for English audiences?

South Korean cinema is absorbing enough for viewers from any region of the world. The global audience is open to reading subtitles of the Korean films if the story is compelling. 

Though remaking Korean films is not a necessity or a trend but stems from the need to tailor them for wider audiences who may be hesitant to read subtitles. The remakes could also spring from a combination of American audience habits, commercial risk mitigation, and cultural translation, without ignoring the quality of the originals. 

While making an English-language remake, in order to adopt the palatable American format, the original masterpiece is completely butchered. For example, the English remake of Spike Lee’s Oldboy took Park Chan-wook’s 2023 original and spoiled it altogether. The endeavor of the different-language remake of the film becomes pointless when the film’s location and language are to be changed for an English remake, which were central to the film’s narrative originally. The remake often loses its spark in the process of translation when presented in a foreign language. 

Also, English remakes allow studios to use recognizable actors in Hollywood, which can significantly boost international marketing and box office returns, even if the original was already acclaimed. 

There remains a doubt whether James Wan’s English version will have the same emotional impact as the Korean film, but knowing Wan’s experience in, for instance, 2021’s Malignant, the crime thriller elements mixed with horror and mystery fit well with the detective work and violent crime narrative of The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, staying closer to its tone.

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When is The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil releasing?

Paramount secured the remake rights in June 2022. Since then, the studio has been actively recruiting prominent filmmakers. A specific release date hasn’t been announced officially yet, but the project is in the development phase at the time of writing.