It’s been two decades since Oldboy introduced Park Chan-wook to a wider audience, and its legacy still lives on. Lionsgate Television decided to revisit this classic South Korean film by developing an English-language series set in the same universe.
The original film came out in 2003, as the second part of a trilogy that also included Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. It was based on Garon Tsuchiya’s manga, and it chronicled the adventures of Oh Dae-su, who has five days to find his captor after being imprisoned for 15 years.
Park Chan-wook will produce the upcoming TV remake with his producing partner Syd Lim. The visionary filmmaker said he’s excited to join forces with Lionsgate because their brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling, adding they share the same creative vision for this project.
Scott Herbst, EVP and head of scripted development at Lionsgate Television, described Park as one of the most visionary storytellers of his generation and said they’re looking forward to joining forces.
“We’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen. This series adaptation of Oldboy will feature the raw emotional power, iconic fight scenes, and visceral style that made the film a classic,” said Herbst in a statement.
