Keanu Reeves is in talks to star opposite Don Lee in Paramount Pictures’ English-language remake of the 2019 South Korean crime thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil. Directed by James Wan, the upcoming film will see Lee reprise his role as crime boss Jang Dong-su, whom he portrayed in the original. If the deal goes through, Reeves will join a story centred on an unlikely alliance between a gangster and a police officer who team up to track down a serial killer. Reeves’ role in the remake has not yet been confirmed.
The project brings together two action stars with distinct screen histories. Reeves is best known for leading The Matrix and John Wick franchises, while Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, has earned recognition for his physically commanding performances in Korean action films. Lee’s return provides a direct connection to the original, while Reeves’ potential involvement would introduce a new face to the story.
Written and directed by Lee Won-tae, the original The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil follows a gangster and a detective who pursue the same serial killer for different reasons. After surviving an attack, crime boss Jang Dong-su joins forces with detective Jung Tae-seok to find the person responsible. Their partnership is far from straightforward, as their conflicting interests create mistrust and clashes between the criminal underworld and law enforcement.
The film draws inspiration from real South Korean serial killer cases from the mid-2000s. Rather than relying solely on the mystery surrounding the killer, the story also explores the uneasy relationship between two men who would ordinarily stand on opposite sides of the law.
The 2019 film gained international attention after receiving a midnight screening at the Cannes Film Festival. Its combination of crime, action and an unconventional partnership helped establish it as a South Korean thriller with appeal beyond its home market.
For James Wan, the remake marks his first feature film as director since 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Known for directing horror films such as Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring, Wan has also worked on large-scale action productions, including Furious 7 and the Aquaman films.
The new project returns Wan to a crime story built around a central mystery and a partnership shaped by conflicting motives. He will also produce the film through Blumhouse Atomic Monster, alongside Jason Blum and Michael Clear.
The production team also includes Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood through Balboa Productions, as well as Lorenzo di Bonaventura and other producers. The group brings experience across action films, studio productions and genre cinema.
The remake’s screenplay has passed through the hands of several established writers. Shay Hatten, known for his work on the John Wick films, and Brian Helgeland, whose credits include L.A. Confidential, worked on earlier drafts. Eric Pearson, who wrote Marvel’s Thunderbolts, penned the latest version.
The writers bring experience in crime stories, action sequences and franchise filmmaking to the project. However, details of the final screenplay and Reeves’ potential character remain undisclosed.
With Don Lee attached to reprise his role and James Wan directing, the remake has its core creative team in place. Reeves’ potential casting is the latest development in a project aiming to bring the 2019 Korean thriller to a wider audience. The challenge will be to preserve the original’s central conflict while giving the story its own identity in English. Until Reeves’ deal is finalised, details of how he might fit into the story of a gangster, a detective and a killer remain unknown.
