Train to Busan Remake Delayed: Director Timo Tjahjanto Reveals 5-Year Setback

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Summary

  • Timo Tjahjanto confirms Train to Busan remake is stalled, leaving its future uncertain.
  • Hollywood adaptation delays attributed to factors beyond the director’s control.
  • The Last Train to New York release unclear due to creative roadblocks and director’s busy schedule.

The upcoming American remake of the popular South Korean film “Train to Busan” has been revised by its director, but some fans are feeling let down by the changes. This has sparked speculation about whether this anticipated adaptation will actually be released.

First released in 2016, the groundbreaking Korean zombie movie “Train to Busan,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho, was a global sensation and garnered critical acclaim for its fresh perspective on an aged genre. Not only did it perform exceptionally well within its native markets, but it also proved successful in territories such as the US and Canada. In 2021, news broke about an American remake of the Korean action-horror film, titled “The Last Train to New York,” with James Wan producing and Warner Bros. handling distribution. Initially slated for release in April 2023, the film was later removed from the schedule in 2022, leaving fans in limbo about its future. However, recently, Timo Tjahjanto, the filmmaker assigned to the project, provided an update on the remake, but the information may not be encouraging.

Train to Busan Remake Still Stalled: Director Timo Tjahjanto Opens Up on Delays

In response to a fan’s question about The Last Train to New York and his role in the Train to Busan remake on social media platform X (previously known as Twitter), Tjahjanto shared some insights. He mentioned that although he has been associated with the project for five years, the remake has hit a roadblock, which is not within his control, casting doubt on its future. His statement, “‘I’ve been ready since 2020, but when a film is stalled, that’s not up to the director.’” suggests that there’s no definite timeline for the remake and fans might need to be patient to see how the Hollywood adaptation unfolds.

The movie “Train to Busan” narrates the story of people traveling from Seoul to Busan on the Korea Train eXpress (KTX). However, their journey takes an unexpected turn when a zombie outbreak occurs in the country and endangers the passengers’ safety. This action-packed film premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and received widespread critical acclaim. The positive buzz generated during the festival significantly contributed to the movie’s success when it hit theaters. With a production budget of $8 million, the film went on to earn an impressive $92.7 million worldwide, with South Korea contributing $80.5 million and other territories adding another $12.2 million. The film also enjoyed great success on streaming platforms, particularly Netflix, where it remained in the Top 10 films for several months. The popularity of “Train to Busan” led its production company, Next Entertainment World, to expand the film’s universe and create a franchise. In August 2016, an animated prequel titled “Seoul Station” was released, also gaining universal acclaim. However, the standalone sequel, “Peninsula,” released in 2020, did not achieve the same level of success as its predecessor.

It appears that the Hollywood adaptation of Train to Busan may not be coming out anytime soon due to numerous delays, changes in industry focus, and creative obstacles, which have kept the project in a state of limbo. Adding to the uncertainty is Tjahjanto’s busy schedule with upcoming projects like Nobody 2 and The Beekeeper 2, making it uncertain when or if The Last Train to New York will ever be made. Fans are left wondering if this remake will actually come to fruition or if it will eventually join the ranks of other unrealized adaptations.

Train to Busan is available for streaming on Prime Video.

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2025-04-02 16:57