In 1995, when video compact disc (VCD) and digital video disc (DVD) were trending, Nigerian movie lovers were captivated by Rattlesnake, an enthralling Nollywood blockbuster that trailed the life of Ahanna; a young man who is dissatisfied with the way his life has turned out and masterminds a way to steal the life he wants.
After his father passed away, he joined a gang of robbers to escape the constant family troubles that befell him.
For those who cannot connect with the story, Play Network Studios is offering an exciting narrative of the blockbuster movie in a remake, 25 years after the original movie was released by Amaka Igwe, the late iconic movie producer.
However, in the highly anticipated remake, Stan Nze takes on the iconic role of Ahanna who handpicks The Armadas, a highly intelligent group of thieves and together they carry out spectacular heists that bring them everything they ever wanted. But like everyone knows, nothing lasts forever.
Soon, The Armadas make enemies on both sides of the law. Will Ahanna be able to mastermind his way out of the life of crime he chose, or will his sins catch up with him? These are intrigues that await viewers to find out when the movie premieres soon.
Executive produced by Charles Okpaleke and directed by Ramsey Nouah; the Rattlesnake remake is star-studded. Alongside, Stan Nze, the cast includes; Osas Ighodaro, Omotola Jalade-ekeinde, Elma Mbadiwe, Chiwetalu Agu, Ayo Makun, Fred Amata, Bucci Franklin, Efa Iwara, Ejike Asiegbu, Chinyere Wilfred, Tobi Bakre, Gloria Young, Norbert Young among others.
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As well, one of the reasons the movie is a must-watch is because it is the first movie in Nollywood that stars the Young Family, where their daughter Antoria Uri Young makes her acting debut.
Meanwhile, credit goes to Charles Okpaleke and the Play Network Studios team for staging the remake. Okpaleke, who many have nicknamed ‘King of Remakes’, has truly reshaped the way the Nigerian movie industry tells stories, especially by paying homage to the classics with a 21st century lifestyle spin. Okpaleke has been in the news for acquiring the rights of the original Living in Bondage film, which was a high risk move that eventually paid off.
Living in Bondage; Breaking Free, the 2019 sequel, received critical and commercial acclaim as one of the most successful movies in Nollywood till date with a record of N163 million at the box office. The 2019 sequel, which was a directorial debut for Ramsey Noah also won him the AMVCA award for Best Director.
Considering the success of Living in Bondage; Breaking Free, there is wild anticipation for what Play Network Studios has up its sleeves for Rattlesnake. Unlike Living in Bondage, which was a sequel to the original story, the new movie is a remake with no rules, and the story completely transformed into a new and exciting narrative.
Moreover, last September, a virtual press conference for Rattlesnake was held, which offered entertainment journalists and film critics the opportunity to ask questions on what was in store for the audience.
In attendance were most of the cast and crew; including Charles Okpaleke, the executive producer; Ramsey Nouah, the director; Chris Odeh, the producer and Nicole Asinugo, the scriptwriter.
Speaking at the media parley, Odeh said, “While producing Living in Bondage, the idea of remaking other Nollywood classics was discussed. Some of us in the team were teenagers at the time some Nollywood classics were made, this is why I think telling the Rattlesnake story is important”. He noted that the remake has a strong ‘coming of age’ narrative, which a lot of people can resonate with.
“You know that period in time when your father is warning you about armed robbery or getting into bad gangs. I do not know about you, but my father sat me down, showed me the Rattlesnake movie, pulled my ears and said it would never be heard that his son went to Lagos to join a bad gang. First of all, the film gives us that nostalgic feeling, secondly, it does a lot for the Igbo culture and the Nigerian nation, and thirdly, we honour Amaka Igwe, who is an icon and has been responsible for a lot of people you call stars today; the likes of the Richard Mofe Damijo, Nkem Owoh among others. We came out the first time with Living in Bondage and we are going to keep coming out every year to blow your mind”, the producer concluded.
In the vein, Judith Audu, the line producer and host of the recent virtual press conference, stated that, “Rattlesnake is a film that will entertain and educate you. You are going to have drama, emotions will run wild, and you are going to go home asking yourself questions. The film is filled with family values, friendships, love and so much more. What we are promising is an experience.”
On her part, Nicole Asinugo gave credit to Amaka Igwe, the original script writer. “There were already a lot of materials to work with; I was just building on what the great Amaka Igwe wrote. As a remake, one is creatively allowed to think about things from a different perspective, but stay true to the real essence of the movie, which I believe we did. Even if you watched the original Rattlesnake, we made sure we incorporated experiences that are relevant now. We also had the freedom to build on and incorporate other characters”, Asinugo said.
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