Takashi Miike’s Audition getting U.S. remake; Richard Gray to helm

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

In this day and age of reboots, remakes, and reimaginings, it's crazy to think that Takaski Miike's 1999 classic AUDITION hasn't already gotten the remake treatment, but better late than never, right? Oh, I can hear the groans of disappointment already, but I've always felt a remake of AUDITION would be one that I could get behind (although I may be in the minority).

Deadline is reporting that TERMINATOR, BASIC INSTINCT, and RAMBO exec producer Mario Kassar is assembling an English-language adaptation of AUDITION, based on the the infamous 1997 novel by Japanese author Ryu Murakami about a lonely widower who gets more than he bargains for when he puts out a fake casting call to find a new girlfriend. AUDITION was, of course, adapted in 1999 into a cringe-inducing cult film in its own right by Japanese helmer Takashi Miike. The new Kassar-produced version is based on the original Murakami novel and will transplant the story to an American setting.

In this version, to be directed by Richard Gray (THE LOOKALIKE), AUDITION‘s unlucky protagonist is Sam Davis, who lives alone with his son following the death of his wife seven years prior and is convinced by a filmmaker friend to stage the fake auditions. The former ballerina with a mysterious past he falls for is now named Evie Lawrence, but otherwise details fall closely in line with Murakami’s best-seller.

Gray adapted the script and will tackle a fall shoot for AUDITION after filming wraps on his current project, the thriller SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa. He also helmed and produced the Justin Long crime thriller THE LOOKALIKE, which Well Go USA is releasing this summer.