Mike Nichols remaking Kurosawas High And Low

Mike Nichols has signed on to direct a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s High And Low for Miramax.

David Mamet has written the script – Martin Scorsese originally hired him for the job back in 1999, reports Variety .

But the rights have taken a long time to sort out, with producer Scott Rudin finally locking then down.

Detective thriller

Kurosawa’s 1963 detective thriller starred Toshiro Mifune and was based on Ed McBain’s King’s Ransom.

The story finds a businessman whose career is ruined when he pays off kidnappers who mistakenly snatched his driver’s son.

Talk about yer classic paradox – this one is remake frustration mixed with quality filmmaker hope. While we’re not thrilled by the idea of Kurosawa remakes, the talent attached is hardly a pack of low-rate former music video types.

And with Scorsese shepherding as executive producer, this might be another Departed. We stress might.