Last week came word that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be assuming the role of Jack Burton, originally played by Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's 1986 cult hit "Big Trouble in Little China." Fans of the original were mixed on the news but Johnson's recent comments will hopefully provide them with a sense of optimism.
Johnson, who's also set to produce, is trying to rope Carpenter back into the fold for the remake after seeing the strong fan reaction.
"I loved reading the reactions from the fans, they were so polarized - I'm the same way," he said. "I come to this project with nothing but love and respect for the original." Johnson added that he "loved the original" when he was younger and "loved the main character - all the characters. [That's] why we want to bring back John Carpenter. It felt like if we surrounded ourselves with the right group of people, the right writers who loved the movie too and wanted to honor it, bring on John Carpenter in some capacity...if we did that, then we have a shot at hopefully something good."
Wanting Carpenter for the project and getting Carpenter are two very different things, though. The director has said in several interviews over recent years that he is content collecting royalty checks from the comfort of his own home. His last directorial effort, "The Ward," was five years ago and his last screenplay was 2001's "Ghosts of Mars."
But, who knows? Johnson was clearly influenced by the opinions of the fan. Maybe an overwhelming show of support will convince Carpenter to hop back in the ring. Burton, Egg Shen and Wang Chi certainly wouldn't object.
