It looks like regardless to what happens with the Star Trek sequel, John Cho will be appearing in a sci-fi movie coming summer 2012. Star Trek’s new Sulu has been cast in the remake of Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 film Total Recall, details below
John Cho To Total Recall
Tonight EW is reporting that John Cho has been cast in the remake of Total Recall. According to the report:
Cho will play McClane, the smooth-talking rep for the mind-messing company that tempts Colin Farrell’s Douglas Quaid to implant fantastic memories into his brain.
The Bob McClane character was played by Ray Baker in the original 1990 film. The remake is being directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld) with a screenplay from Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard). THR reports Cho and Farrell will be joined by Kate Beckinsdale playing as Quaid’s wife and Jessica Biel as his girlfriend with Bryan Cranston playing the villain Cohaagen (originally played by Ronny Cox aka TNG’s Capt. Jellico). The Total Recall remake starts shooting in Toronto next week. Total Recall arrives is set to be released August 3, 2012.
John Cho in Star Trek (L) will play the role of Bob McClane originally played by Ray Barker in the "Total Recall" (R)
In a case of small world, this makes two upcoming remakes for Colin Farrell where he will appear with new Star Trek actors. This summer Farrell stars with Anton Yelcin in the Fright Night, the remake of the 1985 vampire movie.
Here is the trailer for the original Total Recall.
Return of Picardo?
Speaking of Trek connections, if you listened closely you will recognize the voice for the automated cab driver "Johnny Cab" was provided by Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Picardo. The Johnny Cab robot also (sort of) resembled Picardo. Maybe there is a role for him in the sequel as well.
Good for him … and begin shooting soon, he should be free in the fall… then he and Anton are working for now … Great!
:-) :-)
why? why remake this film?
No matter what. I don’t see this as being as good as the orignal. But. Good for thse guys getting some more great movies as that would be good for Trek.
Voice? That wasn’t Picardo acting?
TR doesn’t need a remake…the original was just fine. I’m sick of this unoriginal CRAP!!!
I asked Picardo at the 40th anniversary Trek convention in Chicago (it was actually some little town just outside of Chicago, near the airport – I forget the name of it) about Johnny Cab. It was one of the rare times when we got to interact with a guest star without a handler shewing us away. I asked, “off Star Trek subject I know, but was the Johnny Cab likeness based on you?” He took a breath and politely, but a bit reluctantly, said “”yes”, it was based on him. I just thought well, I had always wondered. Here he is. Let’s ask him.
I remember that convention was in a hotel so close to the airport that the angle of descent and take off was incredibly steep ….you could see the bellies of the planes so close you felt like you could almost touch them. I remember Picardo’s room was right next to ours. I saw him in the hall coming out for an evening event. I left him alone and gave him his privacy.
And, I agree. Why remake this? Can’t be as much fun as the original. Or as crazed without crazy Verhoeven directing.
I’m stoked. I hope they go all out.
#6: The town was Rosemont, IL and the planes are awesome!
@8
Yeah, it was cool. The view from the breakfast area in the morning out the window was cool. Also, that hotel…best Ruben sandwich I’ve ever had.
It is an Arnold come back film! Total Recall will be instead about Arnold forgetting about all the children he has had and him trying to recall it! But, seriously, Hollywood- WRITE SOMETHING NEW!
Planet of the Apes went well, so this one should too.
Then we can do Running Man, and Commando!
I wonder how many times the hero is going to get hit in the groin?
i would advise against calling the new movie a ‘remake of the 1990 movie’ as the producers have said that they’re going more off the original work ‘we can remember if for you wholesale’
Really, they are remaking Total Recall? Everyone knows how it ends.
If it’s not drawing from the movie I wonder why they’re using the title then. Name recognition?
#5 Agree- That’s why I can’t wait for Cowboys and Aliens for one. I don’t recall that mix before, old west meets highly advanced ETs- original!
Even going for name recognition they now have to work harder to sell it as a different story. Perception rules and if people thing they have already see in then it will effect ticket sales.
Precisely why the new x men is going to bomb. After the first film no one gives a toss about xavier and magnetos love hate relationship. We get that magneto is a conflicted character and even in those movie all the writers could do was relay the same inner conflict and now we get the exact same conflict but with the new take of them being younger, and no one fricken cares.
If they had moved on x men may have been a good series. Magneto could be making his first comeback since the first film. As it is all they can do is tell the same mediocre conflict.
People do not want the exact same stuff all the time except for days of our lives.
meh…can’t really stand Colin Farrell, but good for Harold um I mean Sulu…um no John Cho
I’d like to see a remake of Arnold’s time as Governor….
“Doug? One of the Ego Trip memory implants involves ‘becoming’ the helmsman on the maiden voyage of an interstellar FTL starship of an far-reaching confederation of humanoid and non-humanoid species. You’ll battle psychotic aliens, fight with a self-folding//un-folding katana, space jump from orbit, and avoid being tiorn apart in the gravity well of an artificially-created singularity… Provided you remember to release the parking brake.”
“No thanks! I’ll try the one where I’m the green-blooded hobgoblin who has the hot girlfriend in the short-short uniform”
TotalRecall 2012… Now with 30% more mayhem, gore and blood than the original — and in 3D IMAX, too!
I have no objection to remaking a film when there is something new to add — for example, The Thing (1982) is inordinately better than The Thing from Another World (1951) — however, I seriously doubt world-renowned director Verhoeven’s Total Recall could be topped by Len Wiseman, director of blockbuster schlock. About the only thing they could improve is the animatronic mutants, but plot-wise, pacing-wise, and in terms of overall irony/bizarreness-wise, I don’t see the remake standing a chance. Still, I’ll keep an open mind, only because I like Colin Farrell a great deal.
@11 — And let’s not forget The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Seriously, if you’re going to remake a classic from 1951 in 2008, with all the advantages of modern filmmaking on your side, and you still blow it, what does that say about your abilities?
Good for Cho. However, I don’t have a lot of hopes for this movie — Colin Farell to me is perhaps the most overrated leading man in the movies today.
@11 — One last thing, though: I do believe Running Man could be remade effectively. The original is just so-so, in my opinion.
another Total Recall Trek connection – the three breasted woman in the original was also in Q Who – the woman who spilled coffee over Picard
and of course Jerry Goldsmith did the score
if Arnie wants to win back his audience/fans he should team up with Paul Verhovan again for Terminator 5 and then make Crusade and that WW 2 flick
man all these remakes :( don’t they have any new ideas?
@26
Not so much.
I’m assuming that they’re, in part, trying to appeal to a boomer market who want to see their beloved film of the 50’s, 60’s or later done with current FX and dialog styles. In part, I suspect there is an element of ego (in Hollywood!?) That suggests that – not being enough to leave well enough alone – there’s an “I can do it better”, and some degree of financial hedging going on with TPTB when we’re talking commiting $100,000,000+ of investor funds to a project.
In general i’m not a fan of most remakes. Total Recall was good, but it sure had some goofy moments. Arnie and his woman out on the Martian surface at the end of the film with their eyes popping out is certainly a mirth filled moment. If the new film is really a closer imagining of the original story then bring it on.
I cringed when I heard a Logans Run remake was being considered.
1950’s era films are ripe for remake though The Day the Earth Stood Still was completely botched. The War of the Worlds remake was OK but a bit gratuitously gory for my tastes. I think When Worlds Collide would be a great project especially since end of the world/destruction of Earth films are so popular right now.
One film that Hollywood should never try to remake: Forbidden Planet.
Marc Alaimo (DS9) and Roy Brocksmith (TNG ‘Peak Performance) were also in the original movie.
“See you at the party Richter”
I know #29, I can’t believe the article didn’t mention Marc Alaimo!
As almost every single poster said (I’ve never seen such unanimity on this, or any other, site!), this remake is a horrible idea. I have TR on Blue Ray, and watch it on occassion. There is nothing about it that needs improvement–not the story, not the score, not the acting and not even FX. And the movie is only 20 years old! I guess when they are re-making 5 year-old Spider Man movies, 20 is a lot….
Horrible idea.
@28 — I agree Forbidden Planet must never be remade. The score alone is unique; nobody has the balls to do a pure electronic soundtrack like that now.
My list of “Never To Be Remade” SciFi classics:
Forbidden Planet
The Day the Earth Stood Still (too late, but the 2008 version bombed)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Solaris (too late, but I have to admit that Soderberg’s version is passable)
Stalker
Alien
Blade Runner
Star Wars: A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan
A Boy and His Dog (unless it’s taken on by a film genius)
My list of “Classics That Could Use a Talented Remake”:
Planet of the Apes (done right, this time)
Silent Running (I have a particular way I’d redo this one; and no Joan Baez or goofy robots)
Soylent Green
Westworld
Logan’s Run (sorry, but it could use a modern, yet deft, hand)
The Quiet Earth
I’m sure there are others in both categories….
31- Agree, Solyent Green could be a great remake as well as Silent Running. I’m surprised that neither has been redone since climate change is a favorite topic these days.
I think Westworld could be fantastic remake: City Slickers meet the Terminator!
Not sure I agree that an Apes remake is wise. I hated Tim Burton’s film and am skeptical of the current Apes prequel that is underway.
I’d like to see a big budget remake of Dark Star!
And how could they ever improve on the divorce scene.
@31 I like your lists. I want to add that personally, I don’t mind clever sequels or prequels. As lame as it sounds, I just watched Tron Legacy, and thought it was pretty good. It’s not a remake though, as the storyline is a sequel.
So, in that vein, I definitely don’t mind Alien sequels, and a prequel (Prometheus) could be done well.
You mentioned Solaris–were you referring to the Russian original? I agree that it was a classic, but it would be unfair to preclude a US-based movie just because there was a foreign film made based on the same book/story. Such logic could preclude quite a number of films. (That said, I did not like the US Solaris.)
2. Pensive’s Wetness
—-why? why remake this film?—-
My thoughts exactly.
What a bizarre choice, of all the films to remake.
IF they’re going to do a remake of Total Recall that follows the original short story more to the letter than the original movie I could see it, but as it is this just seems kind of pointless. Good cast, though, in my opinion, I’ll wait and see a trailer before I make any further judgements.
I love this movie! I actually think they could do a good job on the remake…I wonder how they’re going to make that Kuato (or whatever his name is who looked like a slimy Chucky) guy look this time.
@11 & 24:
Yes, “Running Man” is a good movie for a remake. I wonder if they would bring Mick Fleetwood back again…? (here’s to hoping.)
These days, it seems that Hollywood is more interested in delivering a CGI/3-D/IMAX experience than they are in delivering original stories.
Yay!!! Another Turtle Recoil movie!!!! Yayyyy!!! :-)
I’d like to see an IMAX 3D version of Plan Nine From Outer Space — reimagined with CGI pie-plate saucers and a giant CGI rubber octopus!!
Count me IN!! :-)
For the love of fictional mythical deities……WHY??????
Someone mentioned The Quiet earth. what a great movie. Totally underrated….
@32 — I forgot about the Planet of the Apes prequel in production. I think that franchise is a hard sell in general because talking apes contains such an inherent danger of cheesiness; however, Avatar showed that visually, the apes could be rendered convincingly in 100% CGI, and that helps by removing the actors-in-ape-suits problem. What it needs is a flawless script, but the kernel of the story has potential, in the right hands.
As to Dark Star, I don’t know if anyone could ever again do justice to having a philosophical discussion about metaphysics with a thermonuclear bomb! Maybe Michael Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep; disregard the fact that he helmed The Green Hornet).
With regard to Silent Running, I think they need to cast the main character, Freeman Lowell, as a kind of eco-terrorist with whom we, the audience, begrudgingly sympathize because he’s the only one who can save the last remaining traces of biodiversity — a seriously wicked anti-hero.
@34 — Tron Legacy, a sequel. Yes, I seem to recall a time when sequels were more common than prequels…. (I am not against prequels per se, but sometimes they seem to be done just because they’re in fashion.)
I didn’t know about the Prometheus project, thank you. I IMDB’ed it… with Ridley Scott seemingly in charge of directing it, that sounds very promising.
As to Solaris, I think I should clarify: I actually like Soderbergh’s version, but it does show the challenges of doing that story justice. Tarkovsky’s version has utterly awful special effects (even for the time), whereas Soderbergh’s is impeccable in that regard. Yet Tarkovsky’s penetrates the — for lack of a better word — existential aspects of the story far more deeply than Soderbergh’s; the more recent version dwells more on the nature of love, and less on the nature of being. I can’t help but think that there are scarcely any American filmmakers who could actually plumb those depths. Maybe Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood) could do it, but that’s not quite his cup of tea, I think. I suppose another viable candidate would be Duncan Jones, who did Moon. So, I guess I wouldn’t preclude another shot at it, but I almost think that if Soderbergh couldn’t totally pull it off, it might be a lost cause for the American movie industry.
#43? Is your handle a set of Lottery numbers? If so/not, can I use them???
@44 — You can use them, but be prepared to end up stranded on an island with a hatch, in which there are old computers requiring you to input those numbers every 108 minutes… oh, and there’s a smoke monster to contend with, too.
Other casting news: Nana Visitor will appear in Torchwood: Miracle Day
not just Warehouse 13 keeping Trek actors in work
on the topic of remakes: V and Battlestar Galactica were brilliant and beautiful. War of the Worlds was one of the worst films I’ve ever seen, Spielberg sucks and none of the cast could act…
@47 — Regarding War of the Worlds, I’m not a Spielberg fan (I find his work hit-or-miss), but I thought his version was pretty decent. Spielberg fails, in my opinion, when he succumbs to excessive theatricality — like in the second half of A.I. or at the end of Schindler’s list — but on the other hand, he has the capacity to produce long sequences of tight, well-crafted scenes, and to stick to a certain sobriety as well. I found he exercised a great deal of restraint in War of the Worlds overall, considering how splashy and over-the-top it could have been. Minority Report exhibits many of the same qualities, in my estimation.
#25…It was Actually hot chocolate that she spilled on picard.
@48. Agreed. War of the Worlds is a hidden gem, Tom Cruise haters be damned.