The remake of the violent 1986 gangster flick will be directed by"Marathon" director Jeong Yoon-Chul in a joint production between the Hong Kong company, Mei Ah Entertainment, and a South Korean film company, Apple Daily reported.

The leading roles will be played by Hong Kong heartthrob Louis Koo and South Korean pop sensation Rain.

The report said the South Korean company will provide most of the investment in the movie which will be filmed mainly in Seoul but also in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

The movie is expected to cost about HK$100 million(US$12.8 million), and filming will begin this summer, the newspaper said.

"A Better Tomorrow," which swept the box offices in parts of Asia in the 1980s, tells the story of a reforming ex-gangster who tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother.

(Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)