I think it was South by Southwest Film Festival where I first caught Johnny To’s Breaking News, and I remember thinking how intense and cool it was. And also that it would definitely get an American remake eventually…
I do recall that the Hong Kong action film left me a little confused in the plot department, but also that it offered up more than enough mayhem to keep me interested. Fortunately The Hollywood Reporter offers up this handy little synopsis: “The story is set in motion when a TV news unit broadcasts live an embarrassing defeat of a police battalion by five bank robbers in a ballistic showdown. While on a separate investigation and stakeout in a run-down building, a detective discovers the hideout of the robbers. But the situation is complicated by an inspector who, in order to beat the media at its own game, decides to turn the stakeout into a breaking-news show.” Yep, that sounds about right.
Alex de Rakoff has been handed the adaptation duties, and it certainly looks like the very prolific Joel Schumacher is going to direct the project for Paramount’s “Vantage” division. (And yes, the original is currently available on DVD, just in case you’re interested.)
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
