It looks like the remake of Battle Royale is being put on hold until a new strategy can be figured out. The Virginia Tech Massacre has them concerned about the timing of the film – we get the news from movieweb:
According to IGN, Battle Royale producer Roy Lee has had to put a leash on his Americanized remake of the gory Japanese thriller. In an interview, he claimed that the recent Virginia Tech massacre has had a heavy impact on the future of the film.
New Line Cinema had been pursuing rights to the property, which focuses on a ninth grade class imprisoned on an island and forced to kill one another. Last month’s killings have stalled the progress on that front. Lee still wants to make the movie, but agrees that his script will need to make some compromises in light of the tragedy. He stated that “We might be a little more sensitive to some of the issues.” Had the movie come out before the shootings, Lee seems to think that his project, “…Would have been slaughtered by the press.”
This is bad news. How can you have a decent Battle Royale remake without kids killing each other? This movie can never be “sensitive to the issues” either go balls to the wall or do not make it. This movie does not need to be remade, but if you do – make sure it is kick-ass.
The Virginia Tech Killings sucked, no doubt about it. I cannot imagine what the families are going through and I feel for all of them. But we do not honor the dead by putting out shitty watered – down remakes of Battle Royale.
Wait to release the film if need be, but do not change the movie because of tragedy.
I understand the desire to be sensitive, but if world events are causing us to edit our art – we are going overboard. We are sensitive to a fault.
