'Sudden Death' Remake With A "Comedic Twist" Is Headed To Netflix

Remember Sudden Death? It was a 1995 Die Hard knock-off set in an arena during a hockey game. Jean-Claude Van Damme played a firefighter who has to take on a group of terrorist – lead by Powers Boothe! – holding the entire arena hostage. Oh, and the Vice President is at the hockey game, too. It was pretty damn dumb and featured a scene where Van Damme stabbed a guy in the neck with a chicken bone. And now the movie is getting a remake! The Sudden Death remake is called Welcome to Sudden Death and will add a "comedic twist" to the proceedings.

Universal 1140 is starting production on a Sudden Death remake called Welcome to Sudden Death. Dallas Jackson, the filmmaker of Blumhouse's Thriller, will direct this new take which features a comedic twist. Comedian Gary Owen is set to star along with Michael Jai White.

"I'm such a huge fan of martial-arts films I couldn't pass up the opportunity to reboot this cult classic with Universal 1440," says Jackson. "Michael Jai White and Gary Owen are both at the top of their game right now and an on-screen dream team. We're having a blast making this movie and putting a twist on the buddy-action genre. I can't wait for the world to see what we're cooking!"

While I can't imagine anyone, anywhere, was sitting around hoping for a Sudden Death remake, it's not like the flick is some sort of classic. In other words, a remake won't raise any eyebrows. Besides, Sudden Death was basically a remake of Die Hard to begin with – so what can this hurt? Michael Jai White is on of those underrated actors who is always fun to watch, and I'm all for him getting more work, especially if he brings the comic timing he brought to Black Dynamite to this project.

I have no idea what the "comedic twist" here is going to be, but here's the synopsis of the original film:

Ex-fireman Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has a new job working security at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. Hoping to impress his kids, he's scored tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals, unaware that the place has been taken over by a group of terrorists. Ex-CIA agent Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe) is holding the vice president hostage in a press box and plans to blow up the building if he doesn't pay the ransom. But, when Darren learns of his scheme, he jumps into action to save the day.

Welcome to Sudden Death will hit Netflix in June 2020.