Takashi Miike’s stunning, creepy, brain-searing 1999 adaptation of Ryu Murakami’s novel Adaptation had such an impact here in 2001, we wondered whether it would be long before an American producer snapped up the rights to mount a remake. But as the years passed and nothing happened, we relaxed; the moment seemed to have passed. Now, though, Mario Kassar is plotting a US-centric take on the tale.
The original Audition, for those who have not seen it, found a lonely widower letting his movie producer friend set up a series of fake try-outs for young women to become his girlfriend. Unfortunately for him, the girl he selects – Asami – hides a steely, psychotic, creatively murderous nature and… Well, things go terribly wrong from there.
Kassar, who helped shepherd The Terminator, Rambo and Basic Instinct into the world, believes the time is right for an American version of the story, which would switch the setting and tweak some details, but otherwise maintain the shocks and tension. Richard Gray wrote the script and will direct the film, preparing an autumn shoot. While we’re not convinced a new movie can live up to the original, it’s still intriguing to see how it could work.