Bloodsport is a cult classic that was partially responsible for sparking an American wave of martial arts action films. It was a major launchpad for Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose movie star looks and martial arts skills made him one of the biggest icons of the 1990s; it was also an indie film success story for Cannon Films, earning $50 million at the box office against a budget that was around $2 million. Now it’s looking like a Bloodsport remake is once again in the development pipeline – and it’s one of the more unique concepts for a re-imagining that anyone could’ve imagined.
The story behind the original Bloodsport is almost as entertaining as the film itself: An army captain named Frank Dux (Van Damme) goes AWOL to participate in an illegal underground fight tournament called the “Kumite.” He finds himself in over his head when the tournament is revealed to be fighting to the death; meanwhile, two army investigators are tracking down Dux to arrest him and make him face military justice. Bloodsport was originally thought to be the biographical story of the real Frank Dux, but after years of conjecture and investigation… maybe not so much. The core premise of a secret fight tournament to the death has been reused countless times in film and other media (see: Mortal Kombat), but actually making something that honors Bloodsport in more than just name and premise is the tricky part.
A24’s Bloodsport Will Hit Different
Cannon Films
That’s right, A24, one of the top modern production houses for independent and/or high-concept genre films, is behind this latest attempt to redo Bloodsport. The studio is tapping one of its most frequent collaborators, Michaela Coel (First Day on Earth, Mother Mary), to both write and direct this “reimagination” of Bloodsport. The early read is that this version will be more focused on the isolation that comes with training for, and competing in, sport fighting.
“I have long been in awe of fighters, and astounded by the discipline, intensity, and isolation the sport demands of them,” Coel said in a statement. “I am excited to explore this world, especially with A24 as my collaborators. LET’S F*CKING GO.”
Michaela Cole in I May Destroy You / HBO
Producer Marc Toberoff also released a statement, saying, “In 1988, the now-iconic Bloodsport introduced audiences to the gritty aesthetic of mixed martial arts, and I look forward to bringing back that high-energy tournament format to the big screen again.”
Coel is most recently known for creating and directing the boundary-pushing HBO series I May Destroy You, with her next series, First Day on Earth, set to premiere this year. In April, she will also star opposite Anne Hathaway in the thriller Mother Mary, where she plays a costume designer and best friend to Hathaway’s pop star character, who is making a comeback.
Bloodsport had three sequels, released through the mid-to-late 1990s, all of them without Van Damme. Hollywood has tried to do several remakes, including a 2010s version about an Afghanistan War veteran fighting in a Brazilian vale tudo tournament, which had V for Vendetta director James McTeigue attached at one point. This latest version sounds like it could be intensely stylistic, while helping Coel’s work break through to a much wider audience.
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