By Chidex Onyemah
Play Network Studios’ highly anticipated remake of Amaka Igwe’s 1994 classic, ‘Rattlesnake’ is set to premiere in cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2020.
This was confirmed by executive producer, Charles Okpaleke who, unveiled the production’s release date in a recently held press conference unveiling the cast and crew.
Speaking on the film, Okpaleke revealed that film lovers can expect a mind-blowing cinematic experience. “It is a great coming of age story, it also gives us that nostalgia and will do a lot for the Igbo culture” he said.
Meanwhile, some actors, starred in the movies spoke to Orient Daily revealing what they feel about the remade movie;
Stan Nze said at a virtual press conference for the cast and crew of The Ahanna Story on Thursday, September 24, 2020, that he was initially burdened about how big the new story is. The Tinsel star said he had to watch the original film to familiarise himself with the project, but also had to do his best to not let it weigh on the direction he takes his character in the remake.
In his words “One of the things I did was to try and forget the first one, I cannot act Ahanna like Francis Duru did…I’m a different man and I’m going to reach through to the character the way I want to do it. I wiped the first film from my memory and went on a journey for Ahanna.”
Osas Ighodaro, another of the film’s stars, said viewers will easily fall in love with the work that the actors put into the project. She plays Amara, a character that is Ahanna’s love interest in the original but in the new film is also billed as a member of his gang of thieves, known as The Armadas.
Bucci Franklin, who plays Nze in the remake, said he was initially worried about acceptance from his co-stars but overcame it due to the camaraderie on set. I’m really grateful to God to be a part of this project,” he said.
Writer of the remake, Nicole Asinugo, said The Ahanna Story is reimagined for the present demographic of viewers and will show some fringe characters in the original in new light.
She said writing the script for the film was also a bit more unique than writing for Living In Bondage: Breaking Free, for which she was awarded ‘Best Writer’ alongside CJ Obasi at the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). “There was such attention to detail with this one. There were four drafts for this to get to the final one … I think this was a little bit more meticulous,” she said.
‘Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story’ stars Stan Nze as its titular character alongside Osas Ighodaro, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Bucci Franklin as Nzenozo, Efa Iwara, AY Makun, Emeka Nwagbaraocha, Brutus Richards, Odera Adimorah, and Elma Mbadiwe.
Also cast in the production are Nollywood veterans including Chiwetalu Agu as Odinaka, Sonny McDon as Louis, Nobert Young, Gloria Young, Chinyere Wilfred, Cassandra Odita, Fred Amata and Ejike Asiegbu.
The ‘Rattlesnake’ remake comes in the wake of the success of ‘Living in Bondage: Breaking Free’ which according to Nouah sparked the idea to recreate classic Nollywood stories.