Among today’s major streamers, Netflix appears to have built the most balanced slate. While Apple TV leans towards sci-fi and Prime Video favors fantasy and crime thrillers, Netflix has shown an equal commitment to diverse genres. The streamer has delivered several explosive action titles in recent years, with Tom Hardy‘s Havoc, Aaron Pierre‘s Rebel Ridge, and Ryan Gosling‘s The Gray Man. Now, Patrick Hughes‘ War Machine, starring Reacher star Alan Ritchson, marks the streamer’s latest genre entry, and it’s already proving to be one for the books. However, we could soon see Hughes return with another Netflix banger as he’s given a status report on his long-gestating revival of a cult-classic action masterpiece.
Hughes is no stranger to the world of action films, with credits including The Expendables 3, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and its 2021 sequel, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. While promoting War Machine, which he also wrote and produced, Hughes sat down for an interview with MovieWeb, where he confirmed that he’s still working on a reimagining of the 2011 Indonesian action classic The Raid for Netflix. Hughes, who was discovered by Sylvester Stallone and made his mainstream debut with The Expendables 3, had been in conversations for an American remake of The Raid as far back as 2011. However, the original plans for the remake, with Taylor Kitsch to star and Screen Gems to produce, fell apart, forcing Hughes out of the equation.
Despite that initial setback, plans for an American remake have continued to simmer over the years. In 2022, Netflix officially confirmed it was taking on the project, bringing Hughes back on board to direct. Since then, updates have been scarce, but Hughes has now revealed that the film is still alive, though the future is uncertain. While he stopped short of sharing specific plot details, the filmmaker described the project as a reimagining of the original rather than a remake, which will feature a new setting and location:
“Look, I’m a huge fan of the film, obviously, and I worked on a script for Netflix that we worked on…so I’m not sure what the future is for that project. It’s certainly something that is potentially out there, but we sort of looked at a reimagining of that and set it in a different sort of setting and location. And it’s 100% not a remake. It was just taking the heart and soul of it and saying, ‘Well, what would this look like on a grander sort of Canvas?’ And, you know, I’m just a big fan of real-world stunts in real-world locations. And, you know, that’s ultimately what we did with War Machine.”
What Happened to ‘The Raid 3’?
News of another The Raid film may disappoint fans who have long been waiting for a proper continuation of the franchise with a third installment. Director Gareth Evans, who helmed the first two films, actually developed a script for a third movie years ago, but the project has remained stuck in development hell. The most recent update came last year when Evans revealed that a meeting with The Raid star Iko Uwais had reignited his interest in revisiting the series, potentially with a fresh concept. However, the filmmaker made it clear he would only return if the idea felt right, explaining, “So I haven’t dismissed it outright, and it might be a conversation to reopen. And it’s definitely something that if I was going to do it, I’d make sure that it was the right version of that film to make.”
For now, it remains unclear which of the two The Raid projects will reach the screen first. In the meantime, audiences can check out Hughes’ latest film, War Machine, on Netflix and stream The Raid and its sequel on Netflix or AMC+, or purchase it through digital platforms.
via Collider