A24’s Bloodsport Remake Taps Michaela Coel As Writer/Director
A24 is stepping into the ring with a fresh take on Bloodsport, with Michaela Coel set to write and direct the reimagining.
The project will revisit the 1988 cult classic, which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme as fighter Frank Dux competing in the underground Kumite tournament in Hong Kong. Plot details of Coel’s version have not been disclosed, but the filmmaker is expected to take a more character-driven approach to the material.
Via Deadline, Coel said: “I have long been in awe of fighters, and astounded by the discipline, intensity and isolation the sport demands of them. I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. LET’S F*CKING GO.”
Marc Toberoff and Alberto Lensi are attached as producers. Toberoff has credits on Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice and the 2022 Hellraiser reboot.
Toberoff said: “In 1988, the now-iconic Bloodsport introduced audiences to the gritty aesthetic of mixed martial arts, and I look forward to bringing back that high-energy tournament format to the big screen again.”
Three sequels followed the original Bloodsport: 1996’s Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, 1997’s Bloodsport III and 1999’s Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite. Remakes were attempted as recently as 2013, with Relativity attempting a version with V for Vendetta director James McTeigue.
The project marks the third collaboration between Coel and A24. Coel is set to star in the upcoming Mother Mary, starring opposite Anne Hathaway. She also rose to prominence with the BAFTA-winning series I May Destroy You.
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