Michael Haneke is currently best known to those who have been watching prize winning foreign language films. That will change shortly when Haneke makes his English language debut, a remake of his too scary film, Funny Games. Even watching the 1997 German film on cable is an intense experience. Those of us who have also seen The Piano Teacher know that Haneke is nothing if not intense.

Currently scheduled for release next year, Haneke’s new Funny Games stars Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Michael Pitt. Produced by Warner Independent Pictures, Watts is also listed as an Executive Producer which indicates a bit of commercial and artistic bravery on her part. The film is about two psychopaths who kidnap a couple and their son in a vacation home, and play “funny games” with them that involve torture.

Funny Games 2008 trailer

Funny Games 1997 trailer