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The Road’s Kodi Smit-McPhee May Let The Right One In

Posted on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 by Russ Fischer

kodi_smit_mcphee_let_me_in

Moviehole reports than in a pull-out section of the Melbourne, Australia paper The Herald-Sun young actor Kodi Smit-McPhee (seen alongside Eric Bana in Romulus, My Father and co-star of The Road) mentioned that he was up for one of the two lead roles in the American remake of Let the Right One In. Moviehole doesn’t provide any transcribed quotes, but paraphrases Smit-McPhee saying that his chances are ‘looking good’.

Cloverfield director Matt Reeves is helming the English-language remake, which will be called Let Me In. The title change was likely inevitable, but “Let Me In”? Ugh. What a pallid, forgettable title. A few other things will distinguish the remake from the film by Tomas Alfredson. Though the character names will be Owen and Abby (rather than Oskar and Eli) the American version will be based not on the Alfredson film, but the original novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay for the Swedish film version. Lindqvist calls Alfredson’s film “the definitive version” but says this is a “re-adaptation” because Reeves (who is writing the screenplay) “will make a new film based on the book, and not remake the Swedish film.” Reeves has said he wants to retain the story’s 1980s time period, and mentioned Littleton, Colorado as a possible setting.

Meanwhile, there’s reason to speculate that Smit-McPhee could end up being the next kid phenom. He was originally cast as young Logan in Wolverine, but dropped out of that role (good move, kid!) to play alongside Viggo Mortensen in The Road. If he’s good, that movie could make his name as an up and coming kid star, as he’ll be in nearly every scene of the film. Mortensen has certainly had great things to say about him. “…with Kodi in it, [The Road] has a chance to be an extremely good movie, maybe even a great one,” Viggo told the New York Times in May ‘08, in a piece which fawned over the kid to a surprising degree.

Kodi’s sister Sianoa is also an actress, which I didn’t realize until the opening credits of HBO’s Hung rolled by; she plays Thomas Jane’s daughter in the new series.

Comments

ruprecht

kodi was WAY TOO BIG to pla the role of the child in The Road. The child in the road would have been around 8 at the most (as per audio book and book text). The scene where the father is running to chase the person that took their stuff, and he is carrying this monster of a child who is nearly as tall as him is absolutely ridiculous. let the kid walk.

i am a huge fan of the book, have read it a few times, and have also listened to the audio book. Kodi did a good job of acting like a 6 year old who was afraid and hungry and freaking out. But he is not 6. He is 13. I think it was horribly miscast. Viggo however was perfect.

shortstuff.

I think that Kodi is an AWFUL choice to play Oskar. Oh, excuse me "Owen". Is it just me, or does he look a wholleee lot like Conny (the bully!!), from the original movie??

You

I am absolutely furious about this. Especially the new change of names. Owen and Abby? Are you serious? Oskar's name change isn't thaaat bad. But Eli's name change seriously pisses me off. Anyone else who has also read the book will know that Eli's name plays a serious part in her character, and changing it to Abby completely demolishes it. Way to ffff things up Reeves. I'll be wishing this new film some major ill will.

Peo

I have read the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist and I have also seen the original Swedish version of Let thë right one in. I'm also looking forward to the american remake, and I think Kody gonna play Kåre Hedebrants (Oskars) part real well. Also interesting to see who's going to play the other parts. I only thinking about one thing, in the book Eli is short for Elias (she's really a boy in the book). Thats why I think they should use another name, something that could be short for a boyname.

Pete Mork

Actually, the correct title for the original book was translated by the Swedish author from English into Swedish from a song by the English singer, Morrissey (of the Smiths) titled "Let the Right One In." The first translation of the book into English had the title simplified to, "Let me in." This was subsequently expanded back to the "Original" title in the new English edition published after the movie was released in Sweden.

I, too, am skeptical regarding the remake, but Reeves may be able to pull it off if, as seems likely, he uses 11- to 12-year-old stars, rather than trying to appeal to the "Twilight" demographic. Kodi has exactly the right look for the part of Oscar, in my opinion. There are also many subplots in the book -- it was over 450 pages long -- that could add suspense and excitement to the American version.

Pavlov

Don't care; not going to see it

sickrubik

Wait. So Eric Bana went from Star Trek playing a Romulan who is seeking revenge for the destruction of his homeworld, Romulus... to, a movie titled Romulus. D: That's what I got from this story.

LuMendz

He seems like an ok choice, though I haven't seen much of him, he seems capable enough to take on the Oskar role. Like everyone else, I still hate the fact that they're remaking the film, but it is happening and there's nothing we can do to stop them from doing it. Though it seems very very unlikely, for all we know, it might be a better adaptation of the book, or a better film. Just hold your criticisms for a while and see how it shapes up first or how the final product is, THEN criticize it.

/ambient

I love "Let the Right One In". I'm a huge advocate of making friends aware of its existence (AND THE SUBTITLES ARE FIXED!!! CHECK OUT THE NEW ICONSOFRIGHT ARTICLE).

So the more I hear about the Matt Reeves remake, the more I'm disgusted, but its like a train-wreck. I can't look away. I continue to read these articles and again feel disgusted. The changes, the title, yuck! I'm going to see this film because I cannot look away. Again, train-wreck! But I will be ultra critical and I will warn all if its terrible.

terroraustralis

Having seen "Romulas, My Father" (which was in my top 10 of 2007), I believe Kodi Smit-McPhee is one of the best child actors I have seen in years. He was aboslutely fantastic in "Romulas" and I think will do an excellent job in the remake if he gets the role.

nickname

I haven't seen "Romulas, My Father" but after seeing Kodi Smit-McPhee in a test screening of "The Road" ( I found his performance lacking a great deal....), Im sort of cringing at the thought of him being a good Oskar.

Matt

I'm not looking forward to this film because it is highly unlikely that it can capture the spirit of the original....but Let Me In is a literal translation you stupid tool, at least b*tch about legitimate problems.

WrongOne

There's a really good reason that literal translations aren't always used -- they can really suck, like this one. I'm sure calling him a tool helped make your point, though.

ag_the_king

Actually let the right one in is almost a literal translation. But the meaning is exactly the same. Let me is is a shortened title since the american publishers thought let the right one in would be to long of a name. And i guess that's why they use it as a name of the american remake to.

SharkBaitHooHahHah

This is all kinds of wrong.

deliahohen

It seems that every time /film posts an article about "Let The Right One In" everyone complains about how foreign films shouldn't be remade, especially the ones that are less than two years old, and how crappy the remake is going to be. Now don't get me wrong I totally agree, but when will people realize that the remake is going to happen whether we like it or not!

This article is about whether or not Kodi Smit-McPhee will make for a good Oskar, so I would like to hear peoples opinion on that, I don't want to hear people complaining about remakes.

Weyland_Yutani

I don't get it either, but if it means more people will read the Lindqvist novel , then I'm all for it.

Wait...what am I thinking?

Michael

I really can't see this remake fairing well, especially since the original is only a year old. What also doesn't help is that Twilight is at the height of it's popularity. This is too soon.

AngryBroomstick

I hope the remake flops miserably and I hope the script is shitty, too. Everyone should just do themselves a favor and watch the Swedish film. That, my friends, is a real masterpiece and an instant classic.

Luke

Hollywood pisses me off sometimes. Let The Right One In was such a perfect movie, there's absolutely no need to make an Americanized version. And Matt Reeves as the director??

NEONBEAR

there should be a law against making region specific remakes of movies made in other countries. or remakes in general. unless the first movie to do it failed miserably.

SomeGuy

Enough with remakes, especially remakes of foreign films that are only a year or two old.

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