James Wan Offers a Lukewarm Update on TRAIN TO BUSAN Remake Plans
Back when Train to Busan hit in 2016, it reminded horror fans that the zombie genre still had plenty of bite left. Yeon Sang-ho’s South Korean thriller delivered emotional stakes, gripping action, and a claustrophobic train setting that elevated it above standard undead fare.
Naturally, Hollywood took notice and a U.S. remake, rebranded The Last Train to New York, was announced not long after, and for a while, it looked like it might actually happen.
Fast forward to now, and things have gone eerily quiet. In a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, producer James Wan finally offered an update. While the project still lives on in concept, it doesn’t sound like it’s on track to roll out anytime soon.
“Everything about it is really exciting. I hope that could get off the ground eventually. Got to be honest with you, I’m not quite sure where it sits right now.”
Originally, The Last Train to New York had some solid names attached with May the Devil Take You director Timo Tjahjanto lined up to direct, with It screenwriter Gary Dauberman handling the script. A 2023 release date was floated. But now, Wan’s update paints a picture of a project stalled somewhere in development limbo.
Still, he remains hopeful about the creative direction. Rather than a beat-for-beat remake, Wan sees this as a companion piece to the original:
“Creatively, it takes place in the same world as Train to Busan. [The zombie outbreak is] happening epidemically around the world. So if Train to Busan is this particular slice of the story in South Korea, we want Train to New York to be the one set in America.”
That global approach could be the angle that sets it apart… if it ever gets made. American remakes of foreign horror gems are hit-or-miss, and zombies aren’t exactly a scarce commodity right now.
Still, the idea of an American take on this concept, especially if it captures even a fraction of the intensity of the original, is hard to ignore. Wan clearly still believes in it. Whether that train ever leaves the station remains to be seen.