French studio Gaumont has signed a deal with South Korean distributor and financier Next Entertainment World to develop an English-language remake of the hit Korean zombie thriller Train to Busan. Gaumont secured the rights ahead of interest from StudioCanal and EuropaCorp, as well as Hollywood studios Fox and Sony.
A smash hit in South Korea, where it has grossed over $80 million, Train to Busan is directed by Yeon Sang-Ho and is set on board a high speed train from Seoul to Busan during a zombie outbreak. You can read our reviews of the original film here and here.
“We are more than happy to start our business with Gaumont, one of the greatest film companies with rich experience in terms of global projects,” said Next Entertainment World’s Kim Woo-taek. “We hope this opportunity could let Korean films get more attention and be familiar with the audience all over the world.”
“[We have been] chasing the remake since Cannes Film Festival where the whole team loved it so much,” said Gaumont CEO Sidonie Dumas. “We’re excited to start working on the U.S. adaptation that will mark our first foray into English-language moviemaking in Los Angeles.