Park Chan-wook Says ‘The Brigands of Rattlecreek' is “Very Violent” and the “Most Brutal” Film He's Ever Made

Park Chan-wook made "Oldboy," which has the hammer hallway scene, the live octopus and the tongue. Now he's telling us his next movie will be even more savage than that.

At a 20th-anniversary screening of "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK" at Seoul Art Cinema, Park teased "The Brigands of Rattlecreek"

It is a very violent film. It features the most brutal scenes out of all the films I have made, while also being a work that explores guilt and love.

Are we really that surprised? The original draft was written by S. Craig Zahler, the guy behind "Bone Tomahawk," "Brawl in Cell Block 99" and "Dragged Across Concrete." If you've seen what Zahler does to the human body on screen, then "brutal" is the least you should expect.

Park has been trying to make Zahler's "Brigands" for more than a decade, but the project was stuck in development hell until Warner Bros.' Clockwork came in to save the day. Matthew McConaughey, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler and Tang Wei are attached to star.

Of course, Park will be bringing his old crew: cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon, composer Jo Yeong-wook and production designer Ryu Seong-hee. The film is supposed to start production early next year, and the budget has reportedly been set at $60 million.

Park has reworked Zahler's original draft, but Zahler will still get a co-writing credit, as he should. The film centers on a sheriff (McConaughey) and a physician (Pascal) who join forces to hunt down a ruthless gang, led by Butler, that uses violent thunderstorms as cover to raid and brutalize a remote town. Adèle Exarchopoulos plays Butler's wife.

Park has had a remarkably acclaimed run over the last 10 years, but if you ask me, he has yet to match the seismic impact of "Oldboy." Released in 2003, the revenge thriller went off like a cinematic bomb, with the raw energy of a modern classic. It’s still his best film — of course just my opinion.

Park's acclaimed credits include "Oldboy," "The Handmaiden," "Decision to Leave," "No Other Choice," "Lady Vengeance" and "Joint Security Area."