Spike Lee Will Direct Remake of Oldboy

It's officially Spike Lee Day here at Movieline! On the heels of the rumor that Lee is directing some sort of spiritual cousin to Do the Right Thing! comes an official confirmation of the last Lee rumor: Mandate Pictures has announced that the director will take over duties on an American remake of Oldboy, the 2003 Chan-wook Park film that Steven Spielberg and Will Smith were once discussing. Kinda awesome! Click through for the press release, and start fantasy casting in the comments section.

Los Angeles (July 11, 2011) - Mandate Pictures announced today that Spike Lee (Inside Man) will direct OLDBOY, a remake of the highly-acclaimed South Korean film. Mark Protosevich has adapted the screenplay and will co-produce. Roy Lee and Doug Davison (The Departed, The Grudge) will produce. The film is a Vertigo Entertainment/40 Acres & A Mule Production. Mandate President Nathan Kahane will executive produce.

"It's a great honor to put this special project into the hands of such a gifted writer and iconic director," said Kahane.

OLDBOY tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned on his daughter's birthday. For fifteen years, he is held captive, and, upon his release, must begin his journey to find the reason for his imprisonment. He soon finds out that his kidnapper has plans for him more tortuous than his solitary confinement. The original film, released in 2003, directed by Chan-wook Park won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.

Spike Lee and Mark Protosevich are represented by CAA. Dan Freedman, SVP of business affairs, negotiated the deals for Mandate.

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