Though it’s been stuck in development limbo for years, horror mastermind James Wan has just reaffirmed that The Last Train to New York the long-rumored American take on Train to Busan isn’t dead. Far from it, in fact.

In a recent exclusive with Entertainment Weekly, Wan called the stalled film “a passion project” and clarified that it’s not a remake, but a parallel story taking place at the exact same time as the original Korean film.

“Creatively, it takes place in the same world as Train to Busan,” Wan said. “If Train to Busan is this particular slice of the story in South Korea, we want Train to New York to be the one set in America.”

Not a Remake A Global Zombie Pandemic

Originally announced in 2016, just after Train to Busan became an international sensation, The Last Train to New York was positioned as a full remake. But now it seems like the plan is to expand the global zombie apocalypse introduced in the original into a shared universe of sorts.

Think World War Z meets Cloverfield where different cities around the globe each tell a story set during the same catastrophic moment.

The Korean original followed Seok-woo (played by Gong Yoo), a father desperately trying to protect his daughter aboard a train overtaken by the undead. That film’s combination of high-speed horror, emotional stakes, and social commentary earned it instant cult status and any remake was bound to be met with skepticism.

Wan and screenwriter Gary Dauberman (Salem’s Lot, Annabelle) seem acutely aware of that.

“The f—ing movie’s amazing,” Dauberman told EW back in 2019. “So, I’m being very careful how we translate it over here. My rule is, don’t f— it up.”

Delays, Directors, and Distribution Drama

The project has faced more than a few derailments. After Gaumont sold the English-language rights, New Line Cinema and Wan’s Atomic Monster boarded the film, with Warner Bros. set to distribute. Indonesian horror maestro Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, Nobody 2) was attached to direct.

Initially slated for release in April 2023, the film was quietly pulled from the schedule in 2022 its release window replaced by Evil Dead Rise.

So where does the movie stand now? Even Wan doesn’t have a clear answer:

“I hope that could get off the ground eventually. Gotta be honest with you, I’m not quite sure where it sits right now.”

Wan’s Still Cooking… Just Quietly

While The Last Train to New York may be stalled at the station, Wan’s not short on projects. He hinted that he’s currently developing two or three new films to direct, though they’re still too early to talk about.

“I think it’s important to have the luxury and the time to focus on the script and get things right before I dive into anything,” he added.

What to Expect If It Ever Happens

If the film ever does get greenlit again, here’s what we know so far:

• It won’t be a shot-for-shot remake, but a sister story to Train to Busan
• It will be set in America, possibly on a New York-bound train during the same global outbreak
• Wan, Dauberman, and Tjahjanto are still loosely attached
• The tone will likely remain serious, emotionally grounded, and fast-paced, in the vein of the original

So while the undead are taking their time, The Last Train to New York still has a pulse.