Michaela Coel to Write and Direct A24 Bloodsport Remake

Michaela Coel, the Emmy-winning creator of the HBO series I May Destroy You, has been tapped by A24 to write and direct a reimagining of the 1988 martial arts film Bloodsport, the studio announced this week. The project marks Coel's third collaboration with the independent production company, which will finance and distribute the feature.

Coel will helm the script and direction for the updated take on the cult classic, originally directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as U.S. Army Captain Frank Dux. In the film, Dux goes absent without leave to compete in the Kumite, an underground martial arts tournament in Hong Kong, after training in ninjutsu. Producers Marc Toberoff and Alberto Lensi are overseeing the production, with Stuart Manashil and Peggy DiSalle serving as executive producers.

Expressing enthusiasm for the material, Coel said in a statement, "I have long been in awe of fighters and astounded by the discipline, intensity, and isolation the sport demands of them. I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. LETS FCKING GO."

Toberoff echoed the excitement, noting the film's enduring appeal. "In 1988, the now-iconic...