“Give a guy a gun, he thinks he’s Superman. Give him two and he thinks he’s God!”

Those words were spoken about Chow Yun-Fat’s maverick cop Tequila in what is arguably one of the greatest modern action movies, John Woo’s mayhem masterpiece Hard Boiled. Is Chow returning to annihilate more mobsters with his trademark twin-gun salute?

If he does, it’ll be Woo-less. A rumor currently circulating puts Chow back into the toothpick-chewing role for a US remake (!!) of the bullet-riddled 1992 movie, but with Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To choreographing the carnage. Apparently Woo declined the offer to return to the material, but To supposedly agreed to the job at Chow’s behest.

To, whose outstanding Hong Kong oeuvre has for the most part been tragically overlooked here in the US (an American remake of his tight gangster movie The Mission is in the works), tends to downplay the more excessive action elements in favor of character development. But he’s no less accomplished with the camera – witness the seamless 8-minute opening tracking shot in his excellent Breaking News. Part of me had hoped he’d never make it to Hollywood if it meant getting more movies like Election out of him.

Though this potential Hard Boiled remake will retain the name, the story will apparently be different from the original, and an American actor will play the opposing undercover cop, with filming to take place in 2007. Or it could all be a bunch of rubbish.