Another Round Director Threatens Another Slap If Chris Rock Messes Up the Remake

Thomas Vinterberg shares his thoughts on the remake of the Danish comedy.

Chris Rock is set to direct a major new project — and it sounds like the news has already gotten a bit of pushback. Late last month, it was reported that Rock will be directing an English-language remake of Another Round, the 2020 Oscar-winning Danish film led by Mads Mikkelsen. The report of an Another Round remake definitely surprised some movie fans, especially given how recently the original film was successful. In a recent interview with Esktra Bladet, Another Round director and co-writer Thomas Vinterberg addressed the news of the remake, and while he expressed enthusiasm over Rock taking on the project, he did offer a joking warning referencing the infamous Oscars incident between the comedian and Will Smith.

"The choice of Chris Rock is exciting. It's exciting what he comes up with. I am full of good expectations, Vinterberg answered, before joking, "If it's sh-t, he'll get slapped again."

What Is Another Round About?

in Another Round, four high school teachers consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives. The film stars Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, and Lars Ranthe.

Upon Another Round's theatrical release in 2020, the film was nominated for a number of awards, including two Oscars at the 93rd Academy Awards. Vinterberg was nominated for Best Director during that year's ceremony, and Another Round ultimately ended up winning Best International Feature Film.

Why Did Will Smith Slap Chris Rock?

The moment at the 2022 Oscars, which culminated in Smith walking onstage and slapping Rock in the face, occurred after Rock made a joke about the haircut of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, which is a result of her years-long battle with the autoimmune disease alopecia. 

"That was a horrific night, as you can imagine," Smith said in a previous interview with Variety. "There's many nuances and complexities to it. But at the end of the day, I just — I lost it, you know? I was going through something that night, you know? Not that that justifies my behavior at all… It was a lot of things. It was the little boy that watched his father beat up. his mother, you know? All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That is not who I want to be."

"I was gone," he said. "That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time. My nephew is nine. He is the sweetest little boy. We came home. He had stayed up late to see his uncle Will and we are sitting in my kitchen, and he is on my lap, and he is holding the Oscar and he is just like, 'Why did you hit that man, Uncle Will?' Damn it. Why are you trying to Oprah me?"

Are you excited for the English-language remake of Another Round? What do you think of Thomas Vinterberg's new comments? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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