South Korean blockbuster 'Train to Busan' is getting an American remake

Fans of the original have taken to social media to voice their disapproval over the news

South Korean film 'Train to Busan' is getting an American remake. Courtesy Korean Cultural Centre

The South Korean zombie-horror flick Train to Busan is getting an American remake.

A Dateline report says that US studio New Line Cinema is in talks with Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto to helm the film based on the 2016 blockbuster. Currently on board for the project is James Wan, who will produce the film, while Gary Dauberman will adapt the screenplay.

The original film, directed by Yeon Sang-ho , premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and became an international box-office hit and received critical acclaim. It also spawned a sequel, Train to Busan: Peninsula, which was released in 2020.

Train to Busan takes place mostly on a train as a zombie apocalypse breaks out in South Korea and threatens all the passengers on board. While it may seem like a typical horror film, there's more than meets the eye as viewers follow Seok-woo, his estranged young daughter and other passengers during the journey.

As news broke about an American remake, fans of the original were quick to take to social media to question why it was needed in the first place.

A few users brought up the age-old issue of subtitles in foreign films:

While other suggested elements that made the first film so special would get lost in translation:

Some even joked about how the film would fare as an American remake considering high-speed bullet trains don't exist the way they do in South Korea:

However, despite the outcry, Tjahjanto also took to Twitter to respond to the backlash. He issued his own promise about how an oath was made to not "disrespect and disappoint the fans":

While also jokingly sharing the good news about how he doesn't have to rewrite the script:

The Train to Busan remake has yet to reveal any other details about the project including who will be cast, what it will be called or when it will be released.