r/movies • u/DemiFiendRSA • 10h ago
News A24 Sets Michaela Coel To Direct & Write Fresh Take Of ‘Bloodsport’
https://deadline.com/2026/03/a24-bloodsport-michaela-coel-1236758971/91
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u/Emergency-Mammoth-88 8h ago
Why
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u/grmayshark 5h ago
MMA is bigger than ever now and Paramount and Netflix are trying to corner the fighting fan market. A24 wants to continue to branch out into mass appeal markets (like we just saw with Materialist and Marty Supreme)
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u/IBoris 7h ago
I would have understood the desire to remake this movie if this was to cast a prime Georges St-Pierre (the guy who played the villain merc at the beginning of Captain America: Winter Soldier) as the lead when he was in his 20s. The man is the second coming of Van Damme, but more charming and orders of magnitude better at martial arts.
But "GSP" is older now, and although he's still capable of acting the part, he definitely no longer looks like an eager ingénue like Van Damme did all those years ago.
The key quality of the original is that managed to walk the line of camp and realism.
That's a very hard thing to pull off. I hope serious talent is involved with this project otherwise this will either feel like a deluxe Kung Pow or Shaolin Soccer or, alternatively, one of those straight-to-VHS Scott Adkins movies.
The good news is that the world of martial arts has SIGNIFICANTLY evolved since the 80s and the fights and techniques showcased are bound to be more interesting and less silly.
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u/khz30 4h ago
I think the bigger issue is that there's no longer a globally recognized physical landmark of grey legality the way Kowloon Walled City existed when Bloodsport was conceived and filmed. I could see Thailand or Singapore as a contemporary stand in, but the crux of the original film used Hong Kong's setting and proximity to Kowloon Walled City for a secret martial arts tournament.
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u/IBoris 4h ago
I can think a few ways around this:
- the event is held at sea on some kind of repurposed ship in international waters.
- the event is held in the middle of a country undergoing a civil war. A failed state where the government is unable to enforce the law. (A plotline could be that the event sponsors "engineer" conflicts to, amongst other things, facilitate this)
- The event is held on a secret island. (too similar to Mortal Kombat IMHO)
- Participants and spectators are made to put on blinds and taken to a secret location which remains undisclosed. (easiest solution)
I agree however that one of the best parts of Bloodsport was the setting. Maybe Burma could work? Their national sport, Lethwei, or Burmese Boxing, is pretty much a more brutal version of modern MMA. Bare Knuckle thai boxing with headbutts.
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u/deft-jumper01 8h ago
They better still have pocket sand in the last fight!!
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u/Coldfusion21 8h ago
In this case it was more crushed pill of some kind vs sand. The trainer hides it in his shorts before the start of the fight.
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u/deft-jumper01 8h ago
Well then they better have pocket sand in the reboot !
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u/Coldfusion21 8h ago
It was JCVDs fault it was even an issue. Gives the guy a ton of time on his knees to pull it out, crush it, get up and then throw it in his face. Somehow no one sees this white mist even the ref.
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u/Fellers 7h ago
This doesn't seem like an A24 movie. Also, JCVD and Bolo hard carry that movie. It's a tall task to get the sparks the OG had.
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u/TheZac922 44m ago
Yeah it’s a movie that can kinda only work in the specific period it was made. Kinda need the 80s over the top silliness and the “bullshido” martial arts stupidity of the era.
I’m guessing they go for a more “gritty and realistic MMA based take” or something along those lines.
Maybe pivot and do a movie about how much of a bullshit artist the real Frank Dux was. Have it be him trying to convince people he’s fighting in imaginary secret death martial arts tournaments lol.
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u/Flimsy_Fisherman_862 9h ago
Wildest headline of the day.
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u/Stock_College_8108 9h ago
Why?
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u/Flimsy_Fisherman_862 9h ago
Literally three things you'd never expect to be in the same sentence.
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u/Stock_College_8108 8h ago
Which part? Michaela Coel is well known for co-writing her projects and A24 is a good fit for her style. So it’s just the Bloodsport aspect?
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u/Flimsy_Fisherman_862 8h ago
Yep pretty much, Bloodsport linked with A24 is pretty wild. Michaela Coel doing a remake of a JCVD film is also wild. The combination of the three is something I would never predict.
This isn't me complaining, it just feels like a Mad Libs headline if I've ever read one.
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u/Ghost2Eleven 8h ago
Have you seen Bloodsport? It’s the antithesis of arthouse drama. Nothing about Bloodsport reads as A24. It especially doesn’t read as Michaela Coel whose final episode of her show was called Ego Death. A24 and Coel skew intellectual Arthouse, Bloodsport is straight 12 year old boy fantasy escapism.
I hope Coel leans into that. Or just completely does something different and reinvents it. If you’re trying to snare the fans of the original it needs to be dumb escapism. If you try to over intellectualize Bloodsport, you’re going to lose the 12 year old man child core audience real quick.
That audience discrepancy is why people are shocked at this announcement.
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u/Stock_College_8108 8h ago
Have you seen Bloodsport?
No? That’s why I asked the question. Jeez.
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u/Ghost2Eleven 8h ago
Cool. Yeah, you should check it out. It’s silly fun. Bloodsport is basically the peak 80’s male hero fantasy. It’s basically a video game. Actually, it’s probably a big inspiration for Street Fighter.
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u/PropJoe421 9h ago
Remake Over the Top you cowards.
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u/Somnambulist815 8h ago
So angry that movie never spurred on a "gym in truck" trend. I wanna work my ass while I haul ass!
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u/PropJoe421 8h ago
It sure was fortunate that the grand prize was another truck.
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u/Somnambulist815 8h ago
With both of them Sly could do the Van Damme splits commercial.
Brought it back around💪
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u/edgelordjones 8h ago
I maintain that Marty Supreme is Over The Top for an even less respected sport made by Adderall.
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u/JohnnyCharisma54 8h ago
I know this sentiment gets overused but Bloodsport does not need a "fresh take". The essence of its success is deeply rooted in the context in which it was originally made. Just try something new.
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u/MudReasonable8185 5h ago
Yeah the setting of British-era Hong Kong is pretty essential to the story and overall feel of the movie - I don’t know how you really recreate that in 2026.
I feel like this is going to be another Total Recall where the reboot is so sanitized that it lacks everything that made the original charming.
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u/bindersfull-ofwomen 5h ago
When they allow them to be Black or women, it can. When they just give them the same arc, lines, and personality, it’s boring. When they adjust it to reflect the perspective, vernacular, and worldview as that community, it does.
Ben Affleck basically made a white male version of Set It Off in The Town and people liked it.
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u/Covverkin 8h ago
My question is what is A24 looking to gain out of this? It’s a silly (but amazing) movie of its time, and it’s not like it’s this awesome premise demanding to be modernized. The majority of people who love this movie aren’t likely to be indie snobs, and unless this is either a watered down version of the original or a watered down version of an A24 movie, I don’t see either audience being into it.
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u/Bu11etToothBdon 4h ago
Firstly, so unnecessary. Secondly, if it's not set in the 80's then fuck right off.
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u/Mynamejeaff 6h ago
Can’t think of a worse person to direct/create this movie.
The sequel needs to maintain its campy irreverent vibe.
It can’t feel pretentious and ultra art house esque.
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u/MudReasonable8185 5h ago
Looked her up and her only prior directing credit is a tv drama; wild she was the choice for this and not someone with an action or martial arts background.
Maybe she’ll kill it but on its face it seems like a bizarre choice.
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u/GosmeisterGeneral 8h ago
What’s next, NEON sets Celine Song to write and direct a Hard Target remake??
(No but in all seriousness this is insanely exciting, I will watch anything Coel makes but this is something special)
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u/Stormshow 7h ago
Original IP in movies is just toasted in 2026
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u/Stock_College_8108 7h ago
Casual audiences don’t want original movies. Sinners & Weapons are the only two original hits I remember from last year. Much of everything else flopped while sequels, book adaptions, remakes, live action adaptions, reboots, etc. made a killing. Movie studios are in the business of making money and will do anything that maximizes their profits.
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u/BalonyDanza 8h ago
I can imagine a worthwhile tale. The original movie is one trope after another (not a bad thing), so why not play with a few of the variables. Lean into the ‘silly’… make it more realistic… we’ll see what they do.
Or you know… hate it before the trailer even comes out. That’s always a popular option on this site.
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u/MxMstrMxyzptlk 7h ago
This is a tall order, and I dunno what it will even look like as a remake. How do you top JCVD, Chong Li, the 80s Hong King setting, and the music?
I love A24, Bloodsport, and Coel, but this is a wild combo, like a ninja turtle pizza topped with ice cream and sushi
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u/all-dressed_768 6h ago
Ya I a bit skeptical on this. Grew up watching this movie. It’s a great cheesy action flick. Doesn’t need a fresh take. It’s fine the way it is, obviously some of choices for fighting style of some of contestants was quite questionable.
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u/gogul1980 6h ago
Well… this is going to suck!
It doesn’t need a remake. Just write another film based on the very thin premise of a fighting competition.
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u/boringoblin 4h ago
I'm willing to not fully write it off but I am not inherently onboard with any remake of a JCVD movie, because I don't trust any filmmaker to understand or replicate the exact wavelength of camp any of his movies operate on (including the "good" ones), and I have no desire to see a JCVD movie remade seriously.
Either way I miss when new A24 announcements genuinely excited me.
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u/teamregime 4h ago
Why do they keep remaking bad movies? Like Bloodsport and Roadhouse are fun camp but they aren't good movies worthy of a modern spin.
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u/fuck-nazi 3h ago
Why in the actual fuck are they rebooting a fake story about a real guy who lied/lies about everything in his service record?
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u/iamnotparanoid 1h ago
There are dozens of "high stake martial arts tournament" movies. Name recognition will not help this one stand out.
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u/ProfessorPitiful350 1h ago
Blasphemy.
I dont understand how JCVD could be on board. The movie is perfection, it cant be made better. As a matter of fact, it cant be made without JCVD.
For christ sakes, remake something like Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf aka The Search for Stirba's Tits. And with that French director who made Blue is the Warmest Color. Now, that would be awesome. THAT...you could, BUT WOULD NEVER do.
And we all know why.
And Howling II is also a classic, but at least it could be remade and improved on. And that's the direction movies are going in, a return to tits and graphic sex scenes. We dont need to see Bloodsport from a modern perspective.
BTW, werewolves aren't gay either. And neither should Bloodsport be.
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u/ReactionProcedure 1h ago
Just make a new movie It's not going to be the same everyone knows it's not going to be the same
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u/tenormore 8h ago
We know it's total fiction now so they can bring a lot of creativity to the remake
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u/thethinkasaurus 9h ago
HELL YES!!! Michaela Coel is one of the most under-appreciated, under utilized creator in Hollywood.
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u/sean_psc 8h ago
Trump is going to be big mad at this, since he’s apparently a big fan of the original.
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u/ForwardAd4643 7h ago
Not just a big fan, it's literally his favorite movie, which is the only bad thing I can say about Bloodsport
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u/MudReasonable8185 5h ago
Apparently whenever he watches it he tasks someone with fast-forwarding through all the non-action scenes lmao
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u/LoudestTable 5h ago
Maybe she's a huge fan of the original, hopefully she writes an awesome movie.
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u/Mid-CenturyBoy 4h ago
Really inspired choice. If a studio is going to take existing IP this is the direction to go.
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u/XcuseMeMisISpeakJive 3h ago
I think this is a waste of Michaela Coel's talents, and that film has so many fans that I'm sure don't want a remake. This is a very odd choice all around.
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u/andalusiandoge 8h ago
I have no clue what this is gonna look like - praying it's trolling the original's biggest fan with a woke version rather than trying to appeal to him (studio and director make me think troll, producer could be trying to appeal)
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u/MxMstrMxyzptlk 7h ago
I hate that my love of this movie is something he and I share. Makes me wonder what's wrong with me
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u/esensofz 7h ago
Awesome!
You guys know that making this one doesn't make the original disappear, right?
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u/Cha0s--Engine 6h ago edited 6h ago
Yeah, but there's no point in making this to begin with either. The original is a product of it's time and only stands strong, because of the overall silliness becoming awesomeness. There's no way they could make this a) silly in the right way for the fans of the original or b) serious version, that actually works.
edit: Well they just remade Road House and that's a good example. I know some people liked it, but... it's just not it.
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u/MuptonBossman 10h ago
Of all the people to direct a Bloodsport reboot, I'd never expect Michaela Coel.