A24 Enters the Kumite with a ‘Bloodsport’ Remake

I wasn’t planning to write this up, but the 1988 action classic Bloodsport, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, is one of my favorite films, and I’m feeling pessimistic about a modern take.

It was announced today that Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum, I May Destroy You) is reteaming with A24 for a third time and will write and direct a reimagination of Bloodsport.

The original Bloodsport stars Van Damme as American Army officer Frank Dux, whose training in the art of ninjutsu helps him battle Chong Li (Bolo Yeung) in the underground Hong Kong tournament known as the Kumite.

There is only one way to do Bloodsport again: completely break modern narrative structure…

What Bloodsport avoids is modern psychological unpacking. It gestures at meaning (honor, discipline, warrior ethos) without stopping to analyze it. Contemporary films often try to explain those ideas; Bloodsport simply declares them and moves on.

Films in the 1980s weren’t concerned with perfectly structured acts or algorithmic precision; the goal was sustained entertainment from beginning to end with something interesting happening on every page, whether it made strict narrative sense or not. It’s why we love movies from the ’80s and especially Bloodsport.

“I have long been in awe of fighters, and astounded by the discipline, intensity and isolation the sport demands of them,” said Coel in a statement. “I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. LET’S F*CKING GO.”

Michaela Coel’s statement doesn’t reassure me that she understands the original film, though she does point to a different layer of what it’s doing.

Mortal Kombat II appears to have learned from the first film’s mistakes, but only time will tell if it’s even possible to bring the 1980s and early ’90s to modern filmmaking.

Marc Toberoff will produce. Alberto Lensi will also serve as a producer. Stuart Manashil and Peggy DiSalle will serve as EPs on the A24 financed and distributed feature.

The first Bloodsport spawned three sequels sans Van Damme: 1996’s Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, 1997’s  and 1999’s . Remakes were attempted as recently as 2013 with Relativity trying to get a version off the ground with director James McTeigue.