After almost three years of silence, it has now been reported that the Weinstein Company has moved forward with the Seven Samurai remake project that they are producing together with Kurosawa Production.
The budget of the still unnamed film is currently estimated at $60 million, and will now be helmed by the upcoming British director Scott Mann, whose sole previous feature film credit is The Tournament from 2009. According to the report, Mann will be directing from the previously announced script by John Fusco, who has transferred the story into present day Northern Thailand where paramilitary contractors are hired to protect a town. According to an interview with Fusco from 2008, the film will be more of a re-imagining than an actual remake of Seven Samurai, although there apparently are “a few respectful bows” to Akira Kurosawa’s work.
No information about production timetable or casting is yet available, and it is probably safe to assume that previously suggested names such as George Clooney, Donnie Yen or Zhang Ziyi are no longer attached, if they even were in the first place.
Thanks to Ugetsu for linking to the news.
The fact that it is a reimagining makes me more hopeful, but my expectations are low. You know how much I love the original. I thought The Magnificent Seven was a well-made, well-acted movie, but it was a pale and ultimately unsatisfying imitation of the original.