Friday, November 7, 2008

Samuel L. Jackson To Do 'Last Dragon' Remake

This one's from AOL Black Voices Fam.....

Samuel L. Jackson To Do 'Last Dragon' Remake
Posted Oct 30th 2008 3:11PM by
Wilson Morales

I know that Samuel L. Jackson is game for anything when it comes to the number of films he has done in the last few years, but there comes a time when you have to take a pass at some things. Although he did a decent job with the remake of 'Shaft', most people will always think of Richard Roundtree in that role. The Hollywood Reporter has stated that Jackson has agreed to star in a remake of Berry Gordy's 'The Last Dragon'.

Jackson will play Sho'nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, a role played in the original by the late Julius Carry, whose spiel included asking ego-driven questions like "Am I the baddest mofo lowdown around this town?" Each time his gang of thugs answered, "Sho 'nuff!"

Davis Entertainment's John Davis and Gordy's son Kerry Gordy are producing.
Penning the screenplay as well as producing is Dallas Jackson, who heads up the urban family label DJ Classicz with Davis. Wu-Tang Clan's RZA is co-producing.

The updated plot will be along the same lines of the original, centering on young martial arts student Leroy Green in his quest through the streets of New York to achieve the highest level of martial arts accomplishment, known as the Last Dragon. Those who achieve the high ranking possess the Glow, making them the greatest fighter alive.

The project, announced by Columbia presidents Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, will take a new look at 'Last Dragon' coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Motown next year.

'We're thrilled to be working with Kerry Gordy as he continues his father's legacy, and we're confident that he along with John and Dallas are the perfect team to develop the project,' Belgrad said. 'They will capture everything that people love about the original while also bringing a fresh edge to the remake.'

The original, which also starred one-namers Taimak and then-Prince protege Vanity, was released in March 1985 by TriStar Pictures and received lukewarm reviews by critics like Roger Ebert, who gave it 2 1/2 stars and said it was a 'great near-miss.'

Despite the reviews, 'Last Dragon' did well at the boxoffice, grossing nearly $26 million. It soon became a cult classic for scenes like Bruce Lee follower Green remaining so loyal to the martial arts star that he eats his popcorn in a movie theater with chopsticks.

'I'm a huge fan of the original and look forward to bringing Sho'Nuff into the 21st century,' Jackson said.
I wonder if they will be able to recreate the campiness of the film yet update it to the current time and STILL keep it interesting.....
“There are some centuries which - apart from everything else - in the art and other disciplines presume to remake everything because they know how to make nothing."

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