Michaela Coel is bringing Bloodsport back.
A24 has tapped the I May Destroy You creator to write and direct a remake of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s 1988 cult martial arts movie, with the trade reports describing it as a reimagining rather than a straight remake. A24 is financing and distributing the film.
The original Bloodsport followed Van Damme as U.S. Army Captain Frank Dux, who enters an underground full-contact martial arts tournament in Hong Kong.
Plot details for Coel’s version have not been revealed, so it’s not known how much of the original story, characters, or tournament setup will remain intact.
Michaela Coel Writing And Directing
Coel is writing and directing the project, but it sounds like her on-screen involvement remains up in the air for now.
The reports focus on her creative role behind the camera and do not confirm that she will also star.
In a statement, Coel said she has long been fascinated by fighters and by the discipline, intensity, and isolation that come with that world, which suggests her take may lean harder into character and psychology while still using the tournament format as the hook.
Trump, ‘Rush Hour 4,’ And The ‘Bloodsport’ Connection
What makes the timing interesting is that Bloodsport was also mentioned when reports surfaced about Rush Hour 4.
Back when news broke that Rush Hour 4 was moving forward, multiple reports said Donald Trump is a big fan of Bloodsport, with the movie even described in some coverage as his favorite.
One report said he was especially passionate about late ’80s and ’90s action movies, including Bloodsport, while pushing for more of that type of entertainment.
