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'Wiro Sableng' remake gets Hollywood treatment
A contemporary adaption of Wiro Sableng as a feature film has caught the eye of 20th Century Fox and is set to be released in 2018.
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Soon in the theaters: A remake of Wiro Sableng will be released in 2018. (Lifelike Pictures and Fox International Productions/File)
T
he Indonesian literary scene has given birth to numerous anti-hero characters whose stories have been accepted by many as folktales. One of the many anti-hero characters is Wiro Sableng the 212 warrior, which was created by the late novelist, Bastian Tito.
Wiro Sableng is not a typical chivalrous warrior. The English translation for his name means “crazy warrior” and his demeanor basically portrays a warrior who is not only good at fighting but also has a little bit of an insane comical side. These unique characteristics developed by Bastion has made Wiro Sableng very popular among Indonesian novel readers.
From 1967 to 2006, Bastian wrote 185 Wiro Sableng comic series and each book was printed at least 100,000 times with some even being reprinted more because they had been sold more than 1 million copies. Due to their huge popularity, the series was made into a movie in the late-1980s.
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Then in the 1990s, Wiro Sableng also garnered a new generation of fans after a television company decided to adapt the novels into a series that ran for several years. Until now, Wiro Sableng has practically become a legend with a very strong fan base in Indonesia.
In hopes of repeating similar successes, Lifelike Pictures production house from Indonesia has decided to join forces with the Fox International Productions (FIP), a division from Los Angeles-based 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, in a mega feature-film project that will bring the comical character back both for its old fans and for contemporary audiences.
“With our experience and the expertise that FIP offers, I am sure we are going to be able to produce a Wiro Sableng film that will be warmly greeted by the Indonesian audience,” Lifelike Pirctures producer Sheila Timothy said recently in a press conference.
Being able to convince the FIP to take part in the production of Wiro Sableng was quite a big deal, Sheila said, considering the fact that this was the first feature film project the Hollywood-based company decided to undertake in the Southeast Asia region, let alone Indonesia.
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FIP president Tomas Jegeus said he decided to get involved in the project following an impressive meet up with Sheila in Hong Kong last year.
“One of my creative consultants, who works in Hong Kong, has known Sheila for a long time and thinks she is a pretty amazing producer,” Jegeus said in a recent interview.
“So, she came and presented the project to me. I had no idea about the background [of the Wiro Sableng story] but the way she presented it was in an almost-ready script and a very clear idea of what the film will look and feel like,”
“I see it as a very ambitious film because the idea is making something very contemporary based on a folktale that people have seen before. I was just so impressed the first time I met her. I thought she was very smart and then after seeing how the project is presented, I thought this was something we need to be involved in.”
Jegeus added that a highly ambitious film project was exactly what the FIP looked for because the company’s main focus was to produce commercial films that targeted a large audience.
He said the FIP would assist Lifelike Pictures as much as possible in providing the special effects for the film.
To be released in 2018, the film will be distributed as 212 Warrior in the international market.
The film’s production will involve big names, including award-winning director Angga Dwimas Sasongko and his team as well as renowned fight choreographer Yayan Ruhian, who will be in charge in developing the script and the story.
Jegeus said prior to the project agreement, he was unfamiliar with Angga and his work but after several meetings, he believed the local director was the right man for the job.
Jegeus thinks that Angga, known for delivering subtle political messages through a pop narrative in his films, is a smart director with a great vision. According Jegeus, Angga is exactly what the FIP is looking for the development of the 212 Warrior, which is going to be a mixture between its original story and a modern take on the Wiro Sableng legend.
“It [the original story] is changing a bit. The way I can see is that what people know and love about the character is still going to be there but the dialogue is going to feel very modern and very funny as well.
“We are going to add a lot of smart humor into it. It’s a story that is quiet dramatic. It starts with a small revenge story,”
“The core is about choices that people make and the choices that he [Wiro Sableng] makes as well and him growing as a character. It’s not just about being a warrior but also about having purity of heart. It’s not just about fighting but it is about who you are as a person and your spirit as well.”
The actor chosen to play Wiro Sableng in the film is Vino G. Bastian, a versatile actor who also happens to be the son of the character’s creator.
Vino said he was glad that Sheila and Jegeus decided to finally introduce a contemporary take on the Wiro Sableng character.
“Our family has waited a long time to introduce Wiro Sableng to millennials,” he said.
