It wasn't long ago that Taylor Kitsch was expected to be the next big box office draw. 2012 saw the Friday Night Lights star headline three major films in the form of John Carter, Battleship, and Savages. Unfortunately for the actor, all of those projects failed to connect with audiences, and his career stalled before it even really started.
However, his past failures haven't caused him to give up hope just yet. A new report suggests that Kitsch is being offered the lead role in the upcoming English-language remake of the action film The Raid - while rumors continue to circulate about his potential involvement with season two of the HBO crime drama True Detective.
The Wrap's sources are saying that Expendables 3 filmmaker Patrick Hughes - who is calling the shots on the remake - is aiming for a January 2015 start date for production. This is also around the same time the new episodes of True Detective will finish shooting, so it's conceivable that Kitsch could appear in both - if he is actually up for both parts. As he looks to bounce back from his lackluster stretch two years ago, scoring as many high profile gigs as possible is conceivably the best route to remind people why he was considered to be a rising talent to begin with.
Despite the actor being in talks for the role, it should be added that this is far from a given at this point. Kitsch and ScreenGems (the studio behind the new version of The Raid) are reportedly in disagreement over the financial terms of a deal and, as a result, there's a chance the deal could fall through altogether.
Should he accept, Kitsch is arguably a solid choice to be featured in the main role. His filmography may not have a lot of hits, but the actor has proven capable of handling the material, displaying action chops in the aforementioned John Carter and Battleship. He also played a supporting part in this winter's Lone Survivor, further adding credibility to the claim that he could be a star - should the right project present itself.
Given the original Raid's stature as a modern action classic, there will no doubt be many moviegoers who feel that an Americanized remake isn't a good choice to snap Kitsch out of his slump. Praised for its impressive choreography, the original Raid is considered by many to be a perfect blend of tension, excitement, and thrills (read our review) and some are questioning what point - besides a cash grab - this new version serves.
That said, remakes of foreign films aren't all bad. One of the most popular in recent years is Martin Scorsese's The Departed, which was adapted from the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs and won the legendary director his first Oscar. We're not saying Hughes is going to have the same results with The Raid, but as he gains action experience with this month's Expendables sequel, a pairing with Kitsch could provide an enjoyable time at the theater, if nothing else.
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The Raid remake is currently without a release date. We'll keep you updated on its progress.
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Source: The Wrap