Kill is the latest Bollywood movie to make its way to Hollywood and captivate moviegoers. The frenetic action movie follows two commandos who square off with a team of bandits who take over a train. Matters are worsened when one of the men’s fiancee is on board the train with her wealthy family, quickly becoming the main target of the bandits.
Kill has already been likened to box office smash hits like John Wick and The Raid due to its relentless pacing and brutal and bloody fight scenes. However, the film stands on its own two feet with a string of unique kills, truly living up to its name. So, with the movie climbing at the box office, a question lingers – will Hollywood remake Kill? And more importantly, should they? Let’s explore that.
What Made Kill Work So Well
On the surface, the plot of Kill is rather simple. At the beginning of the movie we are introduced to Amrit Rathod (Lakshya) and his friend Viresh Chatwal (Abhishek Chauhan), two highly skilled commandos. When Amrit receives a call from the love of his life Tulika, she informs him that she is about to be forced into an arranged marriage in New Dehli. So, Amrit boards the same train as her with the hopes of running away together. However, the train is then taken over by bandits.
At first, Amrit withholds his lethal skills, not wanting to kill anyone. But when Tulika faces danger, he embarks on a bloody rampage. The action in the movie is non-stop from the moment it kicks off. As the stakes are heightened, the audience get to see just how lethal Amrit really is. To that, the movie is spliced with over-the-top violence. Yet, it never feels too campy. Underneath the carnage is a love story that serves as the driving force. While it isn’t exactly a formula we haven’t seen before in action movies, where Kill really shines is with its brutality that isn’t typically seen in Bollywood. To that, it feels like Bollywood’s answer to John Wick and other one-man army movies. The result is a Bollywood movie that feels like it is paying homage to Hollywood action classics whilst also holding its own.
The Formula Is Easily Recyclable But Who Would Star in the Movie?
Hollywood has a long history of recognizing and adapting successful foreign films to appeal to a broader audience. When a foreign film garners critical acclaim or performs well at the box office, studios and producers often take notice and consider remaking or reimagining the story for a Western audience. This can involve updating the setting, characters, and plot to resonate with local tastes.
As Hollywood has taken notice of Kill, there has already been murmurs that a remake is in the works. The beauty of the movie is the fact that the lead star is a fresh face in cinema and hasn’t starred in an action movie before. Although there are actors like Chris Hemsworth (Extraction) and Keanu Reeves (John Wick) who could easily take on the role, if Hollywood is to make its own version of Kill, it would need to follow the same formula. Of course, the likes of Hemsworth and Reeves could easily take on this kind of role, as they have already proven their ability in the genre, however, the best thing to do would be to cast an actor who is not yet known for action. After all, this is what made Kill work so well. With that said, Hollywood’s Kill remake could serve as a career-swerving rendition for whoever steps into the lead role.
Lionsgate Are Already Eyeing the Project
Kill landed in US theaters on July 4, 2024 and opened to a plethora of positive reviews from critics. It also didn’t take long for big names in Hollywood to recognise the film. In fact, John Wick director Chad Stahelski had already praised the movie before it was released in the US. He said in a statement: “’Kill’ is one of the most vivid, wild, and creative action movies I’ve seen recently,” He then went on to express his interests in remaking the movie, saying: “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.”
It is reported that Stahelski will produce the movie under his production company 87Eleven Entertainment, according to Deadline. Lionsgate distributed the original movie in the US and are said to be boarding the remake as well. As of yet, details are sparse and no director or stars are attached. However, it is possible that Stahelski will take the helm as he has been on a roll as of late, directing all four of the John Wick movies. Want to read more about Chad Stahelski? Here are the top 5 stunt performers who became directors.
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