The Parasite remake on HBO could star Mark Ruffalo, says report

(Image credit: Curzon Artificial Eye)

Parasite, which won four Oscars on Sunday, is being remade by HBO as a miniseries. Why? Well, it might seem pointless given how accomplished the film is already, but this deal was made when the class-focused thriller was considered less of a shoo-in on the awards circuit. Excitingly, director Bong Joon Ho is actually working on the series with producer and director Adam McKay.

Now, reports suggests Mark Ruffalo is being eyed for a lead role in the series, as first reported by Collider and later noted by Deadline

TMZ then asked Ruffalo about potentially starring in the HBO remake when he was arriving at LAX. "I'd be honored to be able to play something in that," he said. It's noted by both reports, though, that full casting hasn't begun, and a lot could change before we find out who's starring in the series. 

HBO's Parasite show is not going to be a straight remake of the movie, instead using additional material to bulk out the story.  

"When I think of a limited series, I really think of it as an expanded film," Bong Joon Ho told Variety. "Like Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander, you have a three-hour theatrical version and a three-hour TV version. So my goal is to create a high quality expanded version of Parasite." 

The director cited the quality of HBO's Succession as an incentive to work with McKay, who also directed The Big Short, Vice, and Anchorman.

"Adam McKay and HBO did very well with Succession, to work with these artists who have created great works I would like to actualize this attempt to expand this film and explore all the ideas that I've had from the script writing stage from what could happen in between the scenes through the TV series," he said. 

Parasite remake: bad idea?

Don't expect a trashy remake of the movie, here. HBO makes great TV – and the choice of McKay as a collaborator is deliberate. He's a satirist, and if Parasite on HBO ends up attacking the US class divide, that's an interesting differentiating factor from the original. 

While it's true there's no real need for a remake to exist, you don't necessarily need to fear the worst. 

Parasite is in cinemas now worldwide.

Samuel Roberts

Samuel is a PR Manager at game developer Frontier. Formerly TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor, he's an expert in Marvel, Star Wars, Netflix shows and general streaming stuff. Before his stint at TechRadar, he spent six years at PC Gamer. Samuel is also the co-host of the popular Back Page podcast, in which he details the trials and tribulations of being a games magazine editor – and attempts to justify his impulsive eBay games buying binges.

Latest in HBO Max
The cast of The Parenting
The Parenting is Max's #1 most-watched movie but it has frightening reviews – here are 3 better horror films with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
Y2K cast looking shocked
Y2K has a streaming release date on Max, so you can witness the technology uprising at home
A collage of Ellie and Joel in The Last of Us season 2
The Last of Us season 2's new trailer teases a huge showdown between Bella Ramsey's Ellie and Pedro Pascal's Joel, but the big moment I'm waiting for is still being held back
ER doctors, including Dr. Michael "Robby" Rabinavitch (Noah Wyle) attend to a patient in The Pitt
Max's #2 show The Pitt has left viewers breathless – here are 3 more medical dramas with over 85% on Rotten Tomatoes to get your heart pounding
A piece of paper with the words 'an HBO Original film' on it next to a pile of snow
Jesse Armstrong’s next HBO Original sounds like another Succession-style satire starring Steve Carrell and Jason Schwartzman
Divine G looking at his fellow theater group performers in Sing Sing
6 Max movies and shows I’m most excited to watch in March, from A24 horrors to an offbeat Adult Swim animation
Latest in News
Image showing detail of the Leica D-Lux 8
Still can't get a Fujifilm X100VI? This premium Leica compact costs less, and it's in stock
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Jason Sudeikis' Ted Lasso pointing at someone in Ted Lasso season 2
Believe it, baby: Ted Lasso season 4 is officially in development for Apple TV+ and Jason Sudeikis will reprise his role as the titular soccer coach
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, March 15 (game #1146)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 15 (game #377)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, March 15 (game #643)