Balthazar to remake 'Ben X' in U.S.

CAA seeks English language cast

By IAN MUNDELL

Flemish helmer Nic Balthazar is planning to remake his Oscar hopeful “Ben X” in the U.S. He will direct the film and is adapting the script to an American setting.

MMG, which produced the original, is teaming up with Alain Chabat’s U.S. shingle Wamerica for the remake. Finance is being sought by CAA, Balthazar’s Stateside rep.

“We’re looking for a distributor and private investors in the States, and we will probably bring aboard some European private equity,” said Peter Bouckaert, pic’s producer at MMG.

It’s too early to put a figure on the financing, he added, but the budget range is likely to be $8 million-$12 million.

“Ben X,” Belgium’s candidate for the foreign-language Oscar, tells the story of a mildly autistic teen whose withdrawn school life contrasts sharply with his warrior persona in online fantasy games. Increasing pressure from two school bullies leads to a blurring of his two worlds.