Oldboy tangles Josh Brolin in a web of mystery, conspiracy, and deceit. The first official redband trailer for the film, which also stars Samuel L. Jackson, was released today.
Spike Lee is directing this remake of a 2003 South Korean manga film adaptation. Brolin, Jackson, Sharlto Copley and Elisabeth Olsen have top billing in the twisty-turny thriller due out later this year.
Brolin stars as Joe Doucett, an ad exceutive who is inexplicably held captive and framed for murder for 20 years and then inexplicably released. Joe becomes obsessed with finding and exacting revenge on his captor, but finds out that he may not be as free as he believes.
Check out the first official trailer for the film:
A poster for the film was released yesterday depicting Brolin’s character emerging from a chest with a young woman in the background holding a marked umbrella.
The title of the film on the poster is reportedly written in Brolin’s own handwriting as a nod to his character, who spends years writing letters to his young daughter.
The tagline reads: “Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free.” With a tagline like that, how could we not be intrigued?
The original film won rave reviews and numerous awards overseas including the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
The remake has been in contention since 2008, with Will Smith and Steven Spielberg being attached, originally for Dreamworks. A few legal battles and production shake-ups later, Spike Lee took over the project for Mandate Pictures with Josh Brolin attached to star.
This will mark Lee’s first big screen release since 2008’s Miracle at St. Anna. It is also the first time Lee and Jackson have worked together since 1991’s Jungle Fever.
Oldboy is scheduled to make its way into theaters on Oct. 25.