Hollywood: Lionsgate remakes India's hit film KILL

[FWN Adm]

Lionsgate is to produce an English-language remake of Indian action film KILL with 87Eleven Entertainment, one of the production companies behind Lionsgate's John Wick franchise.

The original Hindi-language version of KILL opens in the US through Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions this Thursday (July 4), at the start of the US Independence Day holiday weekend. Openings follow on July 5 in the UK (also through Lionsgate) and India.

Chad Stahelski (director of all four John Wick features), Jason Spitz and Alex Young will produce the English-language version for 87Eleven.

Written and directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, KILL, which was the first runner up for the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award at last September's Toronto International Film Festival, is about two commandos who confront a gang of thieves on an express train to New Delhi. Single-named newcomer Lakshya stars alongside Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala. Producers are Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta for Dharma Productions and Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain from Sikhya Entertainment.

Commenting on the remake, Stahelski said: "Kill is one of the most vivid, wild and creative action movies I've seen recently. Nikhil delivers relentless action sequences that need to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. It's exciting to be developing an English-language version – we have big shoes to fill and I'm looking forward to working with Nikhil, Karan, Apoorva, Guneet, and Achin to achieve that."

Johar, Mehta, Kapoor and Jain added: "When we made KILL with Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, we dreamed of global love, and seeing North American theaters chant 'Kill! Kill! Kill!' was like seeing that vision come alive. As we approach our global release, we are thrilled that 87Eleven Entertainment will produce a remake of our film in English. Partnering with Lionsgate, the award-winning studio behind genre-defining action movies, has been incredibly gratifying. This announcement coming before the original film's release is unprecedented and a big win for Indian cinema. We are truly honoured."