Beaks here...
Gareth Evans's THE RAID has yet to be released in the U.S., but Sony is impressed enough with the Indonesian apartment complex brawl-a-rama to commit to distributing a sequel while also continuing to develop an English-language remake.
(If you want to remain completely unspoiled for THE RAID, click away now!)
According to Variety, the larger-in-scope sequel will be called BERANDAL for the Indonesian market. THE RAID star Iko Uwais will return as the seemingly indestructable SWAT badass Rama. BERANDAL is actually based on an idea Evans began developing two years ago, and will hopefully be the second in a series of Rama adventures. Here's what Evans had to say on his blog (h/t Badass Digest):
In BERANDAL we plan to explore the criminal world and introduce more side characters while creating a franchise for IKO UWAIS, but not one in which his character stays the same throughout. Our plan is to show a growth in each film as experiences begin to shape and mutate his personality for better and for worse.
Meanwhile, Screen Gems is still working on an English-language remake of THE RAID, which will have a very hard time living up to the original's nonstop orgy of action. THE RAID is the kind of movie American filmmakers have never been able to pull off; it combines the breathtaking fight choreography of a classic Jackie Chan film with the wild gunplay of John Woo's best. And then there are knives. Holy hell, are there ever knives.
For additional info on Evans's plans for BERANDAL and more, check out this in-depth interview with Collider.
Sony Classics will release THE RAID in the U.S. on March 23rd. You will love it.
