In a world where parallel realities are moneymakers for Hollywood studios, it seems the concept has garnered enough traction to breathe new life into the 2001 sci-fi action film, The One. According to a recent report from Giant Freakin Robot, Sony is not only rebooting the film but also backing it with a whopping $200 million budget.
In addition to this, F9 director Justin Lin has been tapped to helm the project. If The One doesn’t ring a bell (looking at you, Gen Z), don’t worry; we’ll explain why this is a big deal. The James Wong film was Jet Li’s ambitious attempt to woo Western audiences with his martial arts prowess in collaboration with fellow action star Jason Statham.
Li plays two characters, Gabriel Yulaw and Gabe Law, who are alternate versions of each other from different parallel universes. Yulaw, a rogue former soldier, travels across multiple universes, eliminating his alternate selves to absorb their power and become ‘The One,’ an unstoppable force.
As he nears his goal, Gabe Law, the last remaining alternate, discovers his existence and becomes the key to stopping Yulaw’s reign of terror. The film explores themes of identity, destiny, and the consequences of one’s choices across parallel dimensions.
Produced with a budget of $49 million, The One didn’t quite hit the mark at the box office, as it only managed to return a meager $79 million worldwide. This begs the question: why the sudden interest in a film that didn’t exactly set the world on fire?
Well, the plot’s focus on alternate realities seems to be the golden ticket. With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse becoming a massive hit for Sony, it’s no wonder the studio is jumping at the idea of another multiverse project, and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to capitalize on the current multiverse craze?
As of now, details about the potential cast for the upcoming project or the return of Jet Li and Jason Statham for the reboot remain undisclosed. Rest assured, we’ll keep our ears to the ground for any updates and keep you informed as more information about this exciting reboot becomes available.
The One is currently available to stream on Netflix.
