Two weeks ago, I reported that James Wan's remake of the Korean film "The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil" for Paramount was scheduled to start production in April 2027. We now have a lead.
Keanu Reeves will star in the lead role. He's in final negotiations, which means it's all but a done deal, according to THR. Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok and one of the stars of the original movie, is also attached to star in Wan's version.
This is a smart get for Wan. Reeves, 62, has spent the better part of the last decade as John Wick, and there's apparently still a fifth instalment in the works. Lately, Reeves has been stretching in interesting, if not always successful, directions: he was miscast in Jonah Hill's misbegotten Hollywood satire "Outcome," and he still has Ruben Östlund's "The Entertainment System Is Down" for A24, which is ready for Cannes 2027. A gritty cop thriller feels like something more in his wheelhouse — action-y enough for his fanbase, but with a darker, more character-driven edge.
Zemeckis regular Don Burgess is the DP. Shay Hatten, whose last credit was Zach Cregger's "Resident Evil," wrote the screenplay. The shoot will take place in L.A.
Wan hasn't directed a film in three years, but that's clearly about to change. He will also produce through his production company, Atomic Monster, which merged with Jason Blum's Blumhouse in 2024.
"The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil" follows a police detective and a notorious crime lord who are forced to join forces in pursuit of a serial murderer. Each, driven by his own agenda, navigates numerous betrayals and mind games, all while clashes erupt between law enforcement, criminal factions, and rival gangs.
I first saw 'Gangster, Cop, Devil' at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it played as a midnight screening. It was fine: fun action, if somewhat convoluted, and not a story I imagined Hollywood would want to remake. That's actually a good thing. It means Wan's film could improve upon the original, which rarely happens with remakes.
Wan's directorial credits include "Insidious," "The Conjuring," and "Malignant," and he hasn't directed a film since 2023's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." These days, he has mostly been producing, including instalments in the 'Insidious,' 'M3GAN,' and 'Conjuring' franchises.
Two weeks ago, I reported that James Wan's remake of the Korean film "The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil" for Paramount was scheduled to start production in April 2027. We now have a lead.