A decade after the announcement, the Hollywood remake of the Indonesian action thriller, The Raid, is finally happening at Netflix. Michael Bay will serve as a producer along with XYZ Films. Gareth Evans, the director of the 2011 original, will executive produce. Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3, The Hitman’s Bodyguard) will direct The Raid remake and also co-write the screenplay with James Beaufort.

Deadline reports that the coming adaptation of The Raid will be a “reimagining” and is “set in Philadelphia’s drug-infested ‘Badlands,’ an elite undercover DEA task force climb a ladder of cartel informants to catch an elusive kingpin.” Patrick Hughes was first announced as director back in 2014, but subsequent delays forced him to drop out. Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Boss Level) and Frank Grillo also tried to get the project off the ground, but to no avail. As per Deadline, after the recent unsuccessful attempts at rebooting The Raid, Michael Bay and Patrick Hughes, who both share the same management, partnered up and shopped the film to Netflix. Hughes’ fresh spin on the film left Gareth Evans and other producers thoroughly impressed.

“We’re incredibly excited about Patrick’s unique vision for this film. It’s a distinctly original take on the material, which promises to pay great respect to the original film while also bringing a fresh approach and perspective that will set its own course in the action genre,” the producers said in a statement.

The Raid is Widely Regarded as One of the Greatest Action Movies Ever

the raid

2011’s The Raid features some of the most thrilling and brutal fighting scenes ever recorded on camera. Written and directed by Gareth Evans, The Raid follows a SWAT team that raids a high-rise building believed to be the den of a ruthless crimelord in Jakarta. Due to unfortunate events, the squad is ambushed and subsequently trapped with no escape. The Raid marked the breakthrough role of Iko Uwais, who has made a name for himself in Hollywood now with roles in Mile 22 and Netflix’s Wu Assassins. The Raid also starred Joe Taslim (Warrior, Mortal Kombat) and Yayan Ruhian (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Beyond Skyline).

The Raid was a modest box office success and spawned a sequel, The Raid 2: Berandal, which was even more brutal and action-packed than its predecessor. The films are also known for highlighting the traditional Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat. Evans, Uwais, and Ruhian themselves choreographed the fights. A third film was in the making, but Evans decided to move on to other projects. After a failed attempt at a Deathstroke solo movie, Gareth Evans created Gangs of London and directed the Netflix horror original Apostle. His next project, Havoc, starring Tom Hardy, Timothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker, is one of the most anticipated movies of this year.

While it may be difficult to replicate the appeal of the original, a fresh take on The Raid could be just what the Hollywood adaptation needs. Patrick Hughes is currently busy with the action-comedy The Man from Toronto, starring Kevin Hart, Woody Harrelson, and Kaley Cuoco. The Raid remake will most likely go into production later this year. Till then, stay tuned for updates.