Earlier this week, Variety broke the news that Takashi Miike is set to direct British pop star Charli XCX in a mysterious new project. Plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but the report speculates that it will be another violent offering from the Japanese horror maestro, known for splatter classics like Ichi the Killer and Audition. Well, there might be some credibility to that theory, after all, as IMDb is now listing the project as an Audition remake.
Originally released in 1999, Miike’s Audition tells the story of a grieving film producer, Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) who auditions women to be his next wife. During the casting call, Auoyama falls head over heels for Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), a deeply disturbed ex-ballerina with a penchant for torturing men. It’s how all of the great love stories begin, but the way in which it ends packs a punch.
As of this writing, it remains to be seen if there is any truth to the IMDb listing — some cheeky rascal might just be at it for the giggles. However, an Audition remake has been in the works since January, with Focus Features set to produce the redo of the J-horror classic. Deadline previously reported that Christian Tafdrup had been hired to helm the film, but the film industry is a fickle bugget and plans change all of the time.
The Variety report only mentions Charli XCX’s Studio365 as the production company involved in her upcoming collaboration with Miike, which is the same one listed on the IMBb page for the rumoured Audition redo. Therefore, it is entirely possible that Focus is no longer involved in the Audition remake and the rights have passed on. However, we should take the IMDb announcement with a pinch of salt until more concrete information is available.
Either way, working with Miike adds more intrigue to XCX’s burgeoning acting career. She currently has a slew of projects in development, including a Faces of Death remake from the makers of Netflix’s Cam. She might be one of the biggest hitmakers on the planet, but her acting ambitions seem to be more niche. Is the Brat summer about to turn to darkness?