Director Timo Tjahjanto has responded to criticisms of his upcoming remake of zombie thrillerTrain to Busanhead on, taking to social media to assure horror fans that it will be worth it. The filmmaker, who is best known for the likes ofThe Night Comes for UsandV/H/S/2, will helm the remake for Warner Bros. Pictures, and shared some wise words from producer James Wan.
“When your @ is suddenly filling up & its more about Train to Busan remake. In James (Wan) own words:Timo, we need to rise above & beyond everyone’s expectations, just like other great remakes have done such as The Ring or Dawn of the Dead remake. Who am I to let my boss down ?”
WhetherThe RingandDawn of the Deadare worthy remakes is open to debate, but Tjahjanto is clearly eager to make an impression with his take on the terrifying events, rather than simply cash-in on the already popular franchise. Not content with simply attempting to assuage the worries ofTrain to Busanfans, Tjahjanto was quick to pay his respects toJames Wan, with the filmmaker determined not to let down one of his idols.
“Needed to add that James has been my hero since my college days. As a South East Asian kid from a conventional middle class family who doesn’t exactly encourage artistic endeavors ( i.e blowing up heads, smearing fake blood) his rise from SAW inspired alot of us SEA genre doofus.”
Released in 2016, the originalTrain to Busanis a South Korean action horror movie directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee and Kim Eui-sung. The story mostly takes place on a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan as a zombie apocalypse suddenly breaks out in the country and threatens the safety of the passengers.Train to Busanwas a big hit with critics and audiences alike thanks to its refreshing spin on the zombie genre, genuinely frightening, claustrophobic sequences, and white-knuckle pace.
So, why then would Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster and Coin Operated waste their time on aTrain to Busan Remake? Well, according to screenwriter Gary Dauberman, who is known for penning the two Stephen KingITmovies among others, they havefound a way to approach the materialthat, while mixing things up for an American audience, will not encroach on the superb original. “Yes. I won’t get more into that but that’s one of those movies that’s so f-ing great, it’s so well done, you don’t want to do anything that’s going to be less than,” Dauberman said. “I think we’re certainly getting there. It feels like there’s a reason to make the American version without ruining the experience of the original.”
Movie goers often groan when hearing the word “remake,” but with the talents of James Wan, Gary Dauberman and director Timo Tjahjanto, it could be well worth boarding theTrain to Busanonce again.
