Ziggy From 'The Wire' Replaces Nate Parker In Spike Lee's 'Oldboy'

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by Joe Cunningham
October 17, 2012 10:35 PM
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Whether you like it or not there’s a U.S. remake of “Oldboy” on the way. Some will find comfort in the fact that it’s being brought back to the screens by Spike Lee, but others will never be won over that this is a good idea. The big names attached to the project (which is currently gearing up to go in front of cameras) are Josh Brolin, Sharlto Copley, Elizabeth Olsen, and Nate Parker. Well, at least that was the case until recently; Nate Parker has had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.

So who will replace him? Spike Lee has turned to one of his frequent collaborators to step in, and James Ransone has joined the project. Ransone will be most familiar of late to audiences for “Sinister” and TV’s “Treme,” but he’s also worked with Lee on “Red Hook Summer” and “Inside Man.” And of course, he was the tragic Ziggy Sobotka on "The Wire."

Nate Parker had to leave to work on the Liam Neeson vehicle “Non-Stop,” and we can only imagine that it was either a contract he couldn’t get out of or that there was more money on the table, because Lee’s "Oldboy" certainly seems like the more interesting of the two projects. But Parker’s loss is Ransone’s gain for now, although it remains to be seen how this remake is going to turn out. It can really go either way at this point, so fingers crossed it turns out to be a true surprise. [Variety]

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gert | October 18, 2012 5:36 AMReply

The big names attached to the project.. What big names ? Casual movie goers don't even know Josh Brolin yet alone Copley and Olsen. It doesn't matter anyhow i just hope the film is good but i have a feeling it may not be successful.