It’s hard to believe it has been nearly a year since the initial announcement of the Duane “The Rock” Johnson produced remake of Big Trouble in Little China. But, it has. When projects fall of the radar for this long, it’s usually a sign that they are dead or stuck in development hell. But The Rock has opened up about the project and assures our friends at Fandango that it is still very much a go.
He told the outlet “That’s happening, man! That’s happening, that’s happening. And again, that’s one of those things where you gotta take really good care of it.” So, while he did not offer any specifics as to when, where, or how, it is clear that the project is still on the table. It will likely be a while before there is any movement on it, though, as Johnson has signed on for a Jumanji redux, as well as getting himself involved with a new cinematic universe based on the literary works of Robert Ludlum (The Bourne Identity novels).
Last we heard, The Rock was in negotiations to star in and produce a remake of the John Carpenter classic. As of the original announcement, the script was being penned by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class. It’s going to take a very specific kind of person to adapt a film like this, so we will see if Miller and Stentz have what it takes.
As I’ve said before, the role of Jack Burton is something that not just anyone can step into and if the film has to be remade, it needs someone with Kurt Russell’s charisma and charm. Or it needs to go the route of the Evil Dead reboot and completely eliminate the character and start from scratch.
