James Wan, the producer of Train to Busan‘s spinoff, The Last Train to New York, has revealed how the film is connected to its predecessor. Released in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival, the South Korean horror movie debuted to critical and audience acclaim. Due to its domestic and international success, two films were added to the Train to Busan franchise. Seoul Station, the animated prequel, was released the same year as the original movie, while Peninsula, which wasn’t as well-received as its predecessors, debuted in 2020.

Train to Busan doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger since Su-an and Seong-kyeong make it to Busan. However, there’s always been interest in a continuation, which is why an American remake of the horror movie was set to be a new addition to the franchise. While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Wan offered some details about the spinoff film and The Last Train to New York‘s production status. Check out his full comments below:

Creatively, it takes place in the same world as Train to Busan. It’s happening epidemically around the world. So if Train to Busan is this particular slice of the story in South Korea, we want Train to New York to be the one set in America. Everything about it is really exciting. I hope that could get off the ground eventually. Got to be honest with you, I’m not quite sure where it sits right now.

What This Means For The Last Train To New York

The Last Train To New York Might Not Happen

A few months after Train to Busan was released, Gaumont acquired the rights to an English-language iteration of the zombie horror film. Two years later, Timo Tjahjanto, known for his work on Killers, The Night Comes for Us and V/H/S/2, was in talks to direct the movie. Warner Bros. and Gaumont set April 21, 2023, as the release date for The Last Train to New York. However, the zombie movie was removed from Warner Bros’ release schedule and replaced with Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Rise.

It’s been nearly nine years since the American remake of Train to Busan was announced, and there have been no updates about the status of the film regarding its cast, plot, or release date since the time Warner Bros. removed the spinoff from its roster. Given the lukewarm reception that Peninsula received, it wouldn’t be surprising if Warner Bros. Studios isn’t going ahead with The Last Train to New York, even if it is set in the same world as Train to Busan. As the years go on, audiences who were excited about watching the movie may no longer be interested in giving it a chance.

Our Take On The Last Train To New York’s Status

It Might Not Be A Bad Thing If The Last Train To New York Isn’t Created

While the idea of The Last Train to New York is fun, there’s simply no need for an American remake of Train to Busan. This is especially true because the spinoff to the zombie movie isn’t really adding anything new to the story, even if it is theoretically connected by its setting. According to the premise that was revealed, The Last Train to New York is simply telling the same story as the original movie, with the only difference being its setting.

Train to Busan is one of the best horror films of the past 20 years, and it would be difficult to make a film that has a similar story but is better. So, it might be a good thing if The Last Train to New York never sees the light of day, more so because remakes rarely surpᴀss the original.

Source: Entertainment Weekly