James Oconner 
Anil Krishna 
Jonathan Millar 
Keanu Reeves in Talks for The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil Remake With Marvel Star Don Lee
© Lionsgate
Keanu Reeves may have found his next action movie, and it could put him alongside a star with a very different approach to fighting on screen. The John Wick actor is reportedly in talks to join the English-language remake of the 2019 South Korean crime thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil. James Wan, known for Saw, The Conjuring and Aquaman, is attached to direct the Paramount Pictures project, while Don Lee, who played Gilgamesh in Marvel’s Eternals, is returning as the gangster at the centre of the story. Sylvester Stallone is also on board as a producer through his Balboa Productions banner, so there’s already a lot of action-movie experience behind this one.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Reeves is negotiating to join the cast, though a deal hasn’t been finalised and his potential role hasn’t been revealed. The remake will follow the basic premise of the original film, in which a police detective and a feared crime boss reluctantly work together to track down a serial killer. They may have the same target, but they’re hardly on the same side. The detective wants to bring the killer to justice, while the gangster has his own reasons for wanting to find him. Don Lee will reprise the role he played in the Korean film, with Wan also producing alongside Michael Clear and Jason Blum for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. Eric Pearson, whose credits include Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is handling the latest script revision after earlier drafts by Shay Hatten and Brian Helgeland.
The idea of Reeves and Don Lee sharing the screen is probably the biggest draw here. Reeves helped turn John Wick into one of modern action cinema’s defining franchises with its fast, carefully choreographed gunplay and close-quarters combat. Don Lee, meanwhile, has built much of his appeal around a completely different kind of screen fighting: heavy punches, intimidating physicality and the feeling that his characters can knock just about anyone across a room. Putting those styles together could make for some memorable action, especially if the two characters spend as much time distrusting each other as they do hunting their target. Wan’s experience with darker thrillers could also be a good fit for a story that needs more than just impressive fight scenes.
The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil: James Wan Takes on the Korean Crime Thriller
The original The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil arrived in 2019 and quickly made an impression with its unusual pairing of two men who would normally be enemies. Don Lee plays Jang Dong-su, a powerful mob boss who survives an attack by a serial killer. Determined to find the person responsible, he joins forces with Detective Jung Tae-seok, a policeman who wants to catch the killer and put him behind bars.
Their partnership is never exactly comfortable. Tae-seok wants the case handled through the legal system, while Dong-su has no interest in letting the killer face an ordinary trial. He wants revenge, and preferably on his own terms. That difference keeps the investigation tense, with both men trying to get what they want while knowing the other could turn against them at any moment. The film mixes brutal violence with a cat-and-mouse mystery, and the uneasy relationship between the detective and the gangster is what gives it much of its appeal. It also helped introduce Don Lee to a wider international audience, building on the popularity he had already developed through South Korean action films.
For James Wan, the project offers a chance to return to a more grounded kind of thriller after working on large-scale studio productions. His most recent feature as director was 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but his career began with tightly constructed horror films, particularly Saw, before expanding into bigger franchises. He also directed Kevin Bacon in the 2007 vigilante thriller Death Sentence, which gives some idea of his experience with violent stories built around characters pushed to their limits.
A crime thriller like this would let Wan bring some of that tension back into the mix. There should be plenty of room for hand-to-hand fights and chases, but the real challenge will be making the uneasy alliance at the centre of the story work. Having Jason Blum and Stallone involved as producers adds further action and genre experience to the project, although the final result will depend on the script and how Wan chooses to approach the material.
Could Keanu Reeves and Don Lee Make This Remake Different?
Reeves’ possible involvement is particularly interesting because the John Wick films have had such a noticeable influence on Hollywood action movies. His performances rely on precision, movement and an almost relentless rhythm, backed by extensive stunt training and elaborate fight choreography. Don Lee’s action scenes tend to work differently. His characters often rely on strength and sheer force, making even a short fight feel like a serious problem for whoever happens to be standing in front of him.
That contrast could give the remake an identity of its own, provided the filmmakers make good use of it. Reeves and Lee don’t necessarily need to be fighting each other throughout the film, either. The original story works because its central characters have to cooperate despite their very different ideas about justice and revenge. If the remake keeps that tension intact, the relationship between them could be just as important as the serial killer they’re trying to catch.
Pearson’s involvement in the screenplay also leaves some questions about how the American version will handle the original story. Don Lee’s return as the gangster gives the project a direct connection to the 2019 film, but an English-language remake will still need to find its own rhythm rather than simply repeat what worked before. For now, Paramount hasn’t announced a release date, and Reeves’ casting remains in the negotiation stage. If he does sign on, though, the film could bring together two very different action stars in a crime thriller with plenty of potential.
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