Luc Besson has been threatening a US-based remake of District 13 (AKA Banlieue 13) for a while now, and is finally getting the pieces into place for the film, which has the slightly less evocative title Brick Mansions. District 13** star David Belle is already lined up for a role and Paul Walker is currently in talks to take the other lead.
Belle, of course, was one of the people who originated Parkour, the sport that features heavily in both District 13 and its sequel, District 13: Ultimatum. In the US version of the first film, Walker will be an undercover Chicago detective chasing a weapon of mass destruction into the titular ghetto. His main problem in the area is the local drug dealer, who rules the place, but Walker will get some help from Lino (Belle), who refuses to bow down to anyone. According to Deadline, a few Hollywood types were circling the Lino role, but Besson has made sure Belle stays on board.
While Pierre Morel directed the original film, he’s busy with other things, so producer Besson, who has co-written the script with Robert Mark Kamen, plans to hand the job to another protégé, yet to be announced. Walker, meanwhile, will likely squeeze shooting the film in before sitting back down in the driver’s seat for The Fast And The Furious 6 and, indeed, 7.