A remake of Bloodsport, the 1988 action-thriller that starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, will be shot in Queensland next year.
The plot will follow mercenaries who clash with underground figures in Brazil but it will be an Australian production by virtue of the Aussies in key creative roles.
Phillip Noyce and US writer Robert Mark Kamen scripted the original story. Noyce intended to direct but moved on to other projects.
Australian-born James McTeigue (The Raven, Ninja Assassin, V for Vendetta) will direct the new version which is being rewritten by fellow Aussie Craig Rosenberg.
The producers are US financier/distributor Relativity Media, Edward R. Pressman, Chris Brown of Queensland-based Pictures in Paradise, Alberto Lensi and Trans-American Films International.
Relativity is the major financier and will release the film in the US. Brown told IF the production will utilise the 40% producer offset and will be shot chiefly in Queensland with a small amount of filming on location in Brazil. No Australian distributor is aboard yet.
Brown said he first discussed the project 18 months ago with Pressman, the veteran US producer whom he met through English producer Jeremy Thomas. “It’s great to have Relativity involved in a film of this size in Australia,” he said. “McTeigue is a great fit.”
In the original film Van Damme played a US Army officer who uses his martial arts training in an underground no-holds-barred tournament in Hong Kong known as the Kumite.
Brown said it’s too early to talk about casting. Asked whether there would be a role for Van Damme, Brown said, “I can’t comment on that.”
Last year Kamen was quoted as saying he did not want the Belgian actor to be involved, suggesting the remake would bear little resemblance to the original. Despite that Van Damme said he wants to be cast as a trainer.