Lupin Star Omar Sy to Lead John Woo’s The Killer Remake

Fresh off the success of the hit Netflix series , acclaimed actor Omar Sy has been tapped to play the lead in director John Woo’s upcoming reimaging/remake of his own action-thriller, The Killer. Deadline brings word of the news from Universal which confirmed that Sy will take on the part for the film, currently scheduled to be released exclusively on Peacock in 2023. Woo will return to direct the film alongside producing partner Lori Tilkin. Details on what the new version will include have not been revealed, with Peacock only confirming the news in a sentence earlier this summer, writing: “Celebrated action auteur John Woo returns to reimagine and direct his own classic.”

 Woo’s original version of the film was released in 1989, starring Chow Yun-fat as an assassin that accidentally blinds a singer, later taking on a mission to help pay for her recovery and surgery, all while a cop is on his tail and has developed an obsession with his tactics. Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, and Kenneth Tsang also starred in the Hong Kong action movie.

Development on a remake of The Killer has been happening on and off for decades with the upcoming film seemingly combining several versions of the script that have been floating around for a few years. Deadline‘s report on the movie reveals the screenplay for the reimagining is credited to a number of writers including 10 Cloverfield Lane’s Matthew Stuecken and Josh Campbell, Welcome to the Punch’s Eran Creevy, and 42 scribe Brian Helgeland. Woo wrote the screenplay for the original film solo. 

When confirming the impending arrival of the remake of The Killer, Universal announced it along with a pair of other films. Among them is Shooting Stars, a movie described as the “origin story” of LeBron James, telling the tale of his time as a high-school basketball player and his journey to the NBA. James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company produced the project with Universal. Another is the upcoming Praise This, starring Chloe Bailey as the newest member of a community’s church choir who pushes her members in a hipper musical direction and whose involvement with an irreverent hip-hop star may kick off-or jeopardize-her own musical career. All three movies are set to arrive in 2023.

“We know people join Peacock to watch movies, so we are constantly adding more to serve fans,” said Kelly Campbell, President, Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer and International, NBCUniversal. “Together with the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, we are excited to deliver fresh, exclusive, original films next year to our customers in addition to the legendary Universal Pictures blockbuster films and beloved franchises streaming now.”