Although he hinted having recently come up with a story for a potential ‘Raid 3,’ Gareth Evans will be putting that project aside, for now, and instead tackle the Yakuza.
Evans, best known for his groundbreaking action movies, is officially set to helm a remake of Takashi Nomura’s 1967 Yakuza noir “A Colt Is My Passport” for Amazon MGM’s Orion Pictures, according to TheInSneider.
The original, which I have yet to see, is described as a stylish blend of Japanese crime drama and French New Wave cool, centering on a hitman and his driver as they go on the run after assassinating a mob boss.
Evans only got around to watching ‘Colt’ during the pandemic when he discovered it streaming on the Criterion Channel—“and quickly fell in love.” He later introduced the film at the 2023 L’Etrange Festival, where he also shared a heartfelt write-up in its honor.
Word of a remake has been circulating for a while, especially after Evans posted about being gifted a poster of “A Colt Is My Passport” nearly three years ago. Now it’s official—the project is moving forward and casting is underway.
There’s no production start date yet, but it’s safe to assume that with Evans at the helm, the action will be front and center.
Evans’ resume includes not only ‘The Raid’ and ‘The Raid 2,’ but also efforts like “Apostle” and this year’s “Havoc,” starring Tom Hardy, which took up nearly four years to shoot, edit and release.
Of course, we all know the rule: take these reactions with a grain of salt rather than treating them as gospel. Still, I will say that the film tested like gangbusters earlier this year, and Lionsgate clearly has confidence.