I’ve thought long and hard about starting a new column but I was promptly inspired by a conversation from a Hollywood stunt coordinator who was compelled to post about director Jung Byung-Gil’s Korean thriller, The Villainess. The film sparked a fiery fandom ahead of its release but fell flat with a number of folks who saw the film and witnessed actress Kim Ok-Bin in her kinetic role as an assassin forged from childhood.
The first question was obvious as to who would one cast for a potential remake, while the second inquiry focused more on whether or not race should be an issue. As a matter of disclosure, I picked choices like Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist) and Filipino-Irish/American stuntwoman Tara Macken (Ninja Apocalypse, Intensive Care), and followed up with a statement on the latter deferring to the rewarding factor of casting an Asian lead for a film that didn’t necessarily need one, but would nonetheless do justice for Asian American moviegoers who are critical and observant regarding the representation of Asians in entertainment.
Other choices were Sofia Boutella who has proven herself nothing short of stellar with physical roles in films like Hotel Artemis and Star Trek Beyond, Samantha Jo who has pretty much become the centerpiece for Kitana fandom in the Mortal Kombat fan community, and Accident Man co-star Amy Johnston who paved the way for her own acting career in the last two years.
A majority of films aren’t really sacrosanct when it comes to remakes and you needn’t look further than a lot of Asian and Indian films that get remade twice or thrice over. In my view, it’s only a matter of time before a film like The Villainess is put before a committee of decision makers who are likely richer than me, choosing to put which titles in development for remake potential, and so I thought I’d put the question forward just to stir some chatter.
Who would you like to see cast in a potential remake of The Villainess? And, extensively, is race a factor in a casting such a film?
Also, feel free to throw in a few ideas on who you would like to see directing it!
Let us know your thoughts in our forums, on social media or in the comments below!
