Nitro, the 2007 Québécois street racing hit, is to be remade in Hollywood. The film, which grossed $3.5 million at the local box office in 2007, has been optioned by Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Motion Pictures. Valhalla is behind such mega-hits as the Terminator films, The Abyss and Aliens.

Speaking to Playback Daily, Nitro producer Pierre Even of Montreal-based Cirrus Communications says the remake rights sale was handled by Echo Lake Entertainment. Under the terms of the deal, Valhalla has 12 months to source the financing needed for a green light.

Even, who also produced the Quebec smash C.R.A.Z.Y., says he and the Nitro production team had originally considered making it in English but switched to French because of the challenge of bringing a French-language title into the local action film market.

‘We always knew the story was strong enough to travel outside Quebec,’ says Even. ‘A deal with Gale Anne Hurd is a definite affirmation.’

Directed by Alain Desrochers, Nitro bested Live Free or Die Hard and Ratatouille in Quebec with a $1.2-million opening weekend. The original film had a budget of $7 million. Presumably the budget of the remake will be much more.

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Playback Daily’s coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival continues with special editions through this weekend.