Statham to star in remake of 'The Mechanic'

According to Production Weekly Jason Statham has signed on to star in a remake of 70's hitman thriller 'The Mechanic'. Simon West (Con Air, Tomb Raider) is in talks to direct.

In the 1972 Bronson played Arthur Bishop, a mob hit man who operates in a world of his own an uncompromising world where conventional rules of morality don't apply and where one wrong move could cost him his life. He's always worked alone but, as age catches up with him, Bishop takes on a competent and ruthless apprentice (Jan-Michael Vincent) and teaches him everything he knows. Together they becomean unmatchable team of globetrotting killers until the pupil's ruthlessness puts him on a collision course with his teacher.

The ortiginal is a really cool stripped down action movie typical of the 70's, with West at the helm I expect it to be amped up a bit but he is good with action, so if the script is solid I don't see a problem with this remake, however I don't think Statham has the ice cool presence of Bronson.