Paul Walker, star of the popular "Fast and Furious" franchise, is in talks to star in Brick Mansion, a
remake of the 2004 French action film District
13. Acclaimed filmmaker Luc Besson, whose recent writing credits include
the original District 13 and 2009’s successful
Liam Neeson vehicle Taken, will be penning the American adaptation. The film is expected to shoot before Walker
has to fulfill his responsibilities to the sixth "Fast and Furious" film.
The role in question is that of an undercover detective who must stop
terrorists from detonating a WMD in a Chicago ghetto dubbed "Brick Mansion." The original was set in a quarantined ghetto in a dystopian future Paris and followed the efforts of streetwise Leïto (David Belle, who will reprise his role in the remake) and
undercover cop Damien as they fight gang lords and injustice in the titular borough
with a mix of martial arts and parkour.
Parkour, as you may know, is the
sport of free-running, which combines acrobatics and speed for quick traversal
of urban environments. Belle is considered one of the founders of the sport,
which was featured prominently in Casino
Royale. Seriously, if you haven’t seen parkour videos on youtube you’re in
for a treat. It’s jaw-dropping when well-executed and hilarious when not, a
perfect mix of spectacle and schadenfreude.