The Equalizer reboot writer is now rebooting Universal Soldier

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Fresh off of turning the four season '80s television series The Equalizer into a pair of films starring Denzel Washington in a role originated by Edward Woodward, screenwriter Richard Wenk has revealed that he is now working on a new version of the 1992 Jean-Claude Van Damme / Dolph Lundgren film UNIVERSAL SOLDIER.

UNIVERSAL SOLDIER is one of my favorite sci-fi action movies, and the fact that I saw it in the theatre when I was 8 years old might have something to do with that. Several sequels have been made over the years, but none have lived up to the original as far as I've been concerned. Directed by Roland Emmerich before he started destroying the world in most of his movies, the first UNIVERSAL SOLDIER starred Van Damme and Lundgren as Luc Devreaux and Sergeant Andrew Scott, 

two soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam and are then brought back to life 25 years later for a secret government program. Known as Unisols, they're genetically enhanced, unstoppable killing machines with no memory, no feelings, and no free will. But on an antiterrorist mission, Devreaux's memory starts to return and he escapes from the program. A superhuman chase across the country begins, with Sgt. Scott in unrelenting pursuit of the man who killed him. Devreaux heads for his home and a reunion with his unbelieving parents. There Sgt. Scott corners him for the ultimate clash of the titans.

Judging by a recent interview with Discussing Film, we probably shouldn't expect many, if any, of those details to carry over into the film Wenk is writing. He said, 

I’m just finishing up a re-imagining — let’s be clear about this, it’s not a remake and it is not a redo — but it is a re-imagining of a movie called ‘Universal Soldier’… very much like ‘The Equalizer,’ it’s the title that inspired me and not the movies… I’m just about to finish (the script) and turn it in this week."

The new UNIVERSAL SOLDIER is being produced by Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal, neither of whom produced any of the previous films in the franchise.

I'm not sure about a UNIVERSAL SOLDIER re-imagining that's based only on the title, but I'm interested in hearing more about what Wenk has come up with.

Wenk's other writing credits include the 1986 horror/comedy VAMP, 16 BLOCKS, THE EXPENDABLES 2, JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK, and the remakes of THE MECHANIC and THE MAGNICIFENT SEVEN.