Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, upcoming The Man From Toronto) is circling back once more for an opp to direct a new take on the 2011 hit Indonesian crime thriller, The Raid.
The news comes years after Hughes was in the space to direct a version of the film that was in development, with Hughes to direct prior to parting from the project’s development under XYZ Films, Sony and Screen Gems at the time. In 2017, WarParty partners Joe Carnahan and Frank Grillo were also vying to take the wheel with a script by Adam G. Simon (Man Down) which also took on new life in 2020 as a seperate film temp-titled “Zeno”.
Netflix is heading up The Raid in a move that advances its flourishing relationship with the original The Raid helmer Gareth Evans, who has gone on to solidify his business with the streamer for major projects including Apostle (2018), and upcoming Tom Hardy thriller Havoc. Evans is exec producing Hughes’ film with Michael Bay (Netflix’s 6 Underground, upcoming Ambulance) producing alongside XYZ.
“We’re incredibly excited about Patrick’s unique vision for this film. It’s a distinctly original take on the material, which promises to pay great respect to the original film while also bringing a fresh approach and perspective that will set its own course in the action genre.”
The producers, via Netflix
Netflix’s announcement cites the following story details for Hughes’ The Raid:
In Philadelphia’s drug-infested ‘Badlands’, an elite undercover DEA task force climb a ladder of cartel informants to catch an elusive kingpin.
Evans’ film became an international festival darling following suit with lead actor Iko Uwais’ breakout role in Evans’ 2010 thriller, Merantau. The Indonesian film star has since branched himself out to even bigger roles of late – including the main villain role in Scott Waugh’s The Expendables 4 – leading a wave of Southeast Asian talents from the region including Yayan Ruhian, Joe Taslim, Julie Estelle, Cecep Arif Rahman and many more.
Featuring an electric soundtrack in part by Joe Trapanese and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, Evans’ The Raid centered on a diminished number of SWAT members fighting their way out of a ruthless crime lord’s 15-floor apartment complex, therein unraveling an even more dangerous mission in the 2014 sequel involving the deadly undercover pursuit of the city’s most vile underworld bosses.
The cult success of both films led to fan outcry for a third installement that, according to Evans in an interview back in Spring 2020, would have followed up from the end of the second film, going into the violent underworld upheaval of the Yakuza and Japanese underworld enforcers. Evans has long since refrained from directing a third film while moving onto other prospects, including shepherding hit crime series Gangs Of London which is still in tow for a second season, while his role as executive producer on the new reimagining of The Raid could finally bring a certain fanbase closer to an answer to their long-held prayers since 2014…
….Hm. Decisions, decisions…