A Mario Bava cult classic is finally getting a remake for American fans. Rabid Dogs, the 1974 crime film, is receiving an English-Language remake from Samuel Franco and Evan Kilgore. The pair confirmed to Deadline that they have acquired the rights to the Bava film, which was different from other movies in the Italian filmmaker’s catalog, which mainly focused on horror and led to him being dubbed the “Master of Italian Horror.” Alfredo Leone, the film’s original producer, has joined the project as an executive producer.

The 1974 film, an adaptation of the story Man and Boy by Michael Carroll, follows a trio of violent criminals who take hostages, while trying to flee from police after a robbery gone wrong. “Bava was a master at creating these unforgettable moments in film, and Rabid Dogs, which unfolds in the aftermath of a crime is not only suspenseful but filled with fascinating characters,” Franco told Deadline.

Rabid Dogs has had a rough go obtaining its cult status. Producer Roberto Loyola declared bankruptcy in the middle of shooting, which resulted in the film being shelved for a time. It stayed on the shelf for two decades before finally getting a screening at the MIFED Film Market in Milan in 1995. The film was finally released to DVD in 1998 and received generally positive reviews and obtained the status as a cult classic

Aside from a 2015 Canadian remake, Franco and Kilgore have been planning a present-day trilogy centered around the film. The reimagined Rabid Dogs will retain most of the theme of the original, minus the sexist overtones that the film had.

Both Franco and Kilgore will write the film, with Kilgore serving as an executive producer and Franco a producer. The pair plan to begin production on Rabid Dogs remake in 2022, with a planned release date sometime in 2023.

via Collider