A24’s Bloodsport Remake Hires Acclaimed Writer & Director for Action Movie

A24 has hired an Emmy winner to write and direct a remake of Bloodsport, the 1988 action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Who will write and direct A24’s Bloodsport remake?

According to Deadline, Michaela Coel will write and direct a reimagining of Bloodsport.

“I have long been in awe of fighters and astounded by the discipline, intensity, and isolation the sport demands of them,” Coel said in a statement. “I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. LET’S F*CKING GO.”

Coel is best known for writing, creating, co-directing, and starring in I May Destroy You, the critically acclaimed dramedy series that won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Coel’s acting credits include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Christophers, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. For her appearance in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Coel won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

Marc Toberoff and Alberto Lensi will serve as producers on Coel’s Bloodsport. Stuart Manashil and Peggy DiSalle are executive producers. A24 will finance and distribute the movie.

“In 1988, the now-iconic Bloodsport introduced audiences to the gritty aesthetic of mixed martial arts, and I look forward to bringing back that high-energy tournament format to the big screen again,” Toberoff said.

News of a Bloodsport reboot first surfaced in April 2025, with A24 in talks to acquire the rights.

In 1988’s Bloodsport, Van Damme played U.S. Army captain Frank Dux, a ninjutsu practitioner who travels to Hong Kong to compete in an illegal martial arts tournament known as the Kumite. Directed by Newt Arnold, Bloodsport became a cult classic, grossing $50 million on a budget of less than $2.5 million. The movie propelled Van Damme into action movie stardom.

Bloodsport kicked off a franchise that spawned four sequels, though none ever reached the heights of the original. Several attempts at a reboot have been made over the last 15 years, including one with directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. Now, Coel gets a chance to put her spin on Bloodsport.

Source: Comingsoon.net