The thought of remaking one of John Woo’s Hong Kong classics would be considered sacrilege. But a remake of The Killer is going ahead… with Woo himself taking on the reins as director.

As reported on Deadline, Universal Pictures are working with the action maestro on a remake of his 1989 classic The Killer. The film tells the story of a hitman (originally played by Chow-Yun Fat), who takes on one last job, only to accidentally blind a nightclub singer during a shootout. In order to help pay for an operation to restore her sight, he then takes on another job.

Universal are in negotiations to cast Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o to play the assassin. Hot off the success of Black Panther, the remake would mark the film as her first in a lead role. The film is working from script drafted by Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken of 10 Cloverfield Lane, re-written by Welcome to the Punch director Eran Creevy. Woo will also produce the film alongside eOne’s Mark Gordon and Lori Tilkin. The remake is to start shooting later this year.

A remake for The Killer has been in the works since the early 1990s, with Walter Hill and David Giler having originally written a script, with Hill to direct. Korean director John H. Lee was also involved to direct a remake back in 2007.

The Killer is considered by many to be John Woo’s masterpiece, with balletic action set-pieces, a high body count and an epic 15-minute church shootout.