Filmmaker James Wan is set to direct and produce an English-language remake of the Korean action thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil for Paramount Pictures. Actor Don Lee, also widely known as Ma Dong-seok, who headlined the original film, is attached to reprise a leading role in the new version.
The project will mark Wan’s potential return to directing after his 2023 superhero film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He is already collaborating with Paramount as a producer on the upcoming instalment of the Paranormal Activity franchise.
Wan will produce the remake under his banner Atomic Monster, which now operates alongside Blumhouse Productions following their merger. His long-time collaborator Michael Clear will also serve as producer.
A larger producing team has assembled for the project. Lee will produce through his company Big Punch Global, while Sylvester Stallone and D. Matt Geller will produce via Balboa Productions. Additional producers include Chris Lee of B&C Group and Jang Won-seok, CEO of BA Entertainment.
The screenplay is being written by Shay Hatten, known for his work on the John Wick films and Rebel Moon. The script builds on an earlier draft by Brian Helgeland, writer of A Knight’s Tale and L.A. Confidential, who remains involved as an executive producer.
Paramount originally secured the remake rights in June 2022. Since being acquired by Skydance Media last year, the studio has been actively recruiting prominent filmmakers for new collaborations and first-look deals. Creators such as Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, Jon M. Chu, James Mangold, Issa Rae and Dan Trachtenberg are among those who have recently partnered with the studio.
The original South Korean film premiered in the Midnight Screenings section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Its story follows an unlikely alliance between a determined police officer and a powerful crime boss as they pursue a serial killer. Though united in their hunt, each has personal reasons for capturing the murderer, leading to betrayals and tense games of strategy amid clashes between rival gangs and law enforcement.
Lee starred in the film as the gangster, alongside Kim Mu-yeol as the detective and Kim Sung-kyu as the serial killer.
Wan is widely recognised for shaping several major horror franchises, including The Conjuring universe, as well as launching the Saw and Insidious series. Beyond horror, he has also achieved rare box-office success as a director, having helmed two films that crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide: Furious 7, the first Universal Pictures release to reach that milestone, and Aquaman.