Vijay Sethupathi’s 50th film, the Tamil crime thriller Maharaja, is headed for a Hollywood remake after a surprise box-office surge in China and strong streaming traction. Producer Sudhan Sundaram says a major star is being courted, with the film likely to roll next year. The non-linear revenge drama has already inspired a Hindi remake that Aamir Khan acquired.
Maharaja, the 2024 Tamil crime thriller that turned Vijay Sethupathi's 50th film into one of the year's most talked-about films, is being set up for a Hollywood remake.
Producer Sudhan Sundaram confirms that the interest came after the film's unexpected second life in China, where it grossed ₹91.65 crore theatrically, per Sacnilk, and performed strongly on streaming. A Hollywood agency subsequently acquired the remake rights, he says, and is now attempting to attach a major name. "The film is likely to go on floors by next year," Sundaram says.
Social media chatter has already placed Matthew McConaughey in Sethupathi's role, though the producer is careful not to confirm it. McConaughey may be among the actors in conversation, he indicates, but casting and the studio behind the project are details the agency will announce itself.
Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, Maharaja built its reputation on a deceptively small premise: a barber walks into a police station to report a stolen dustbin. What follows is a non-linear revenge structure that withholds its real subject until late, and it is that architecture, rather than any star vehicle, that makes the film an attractive candidate for adaptation. Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap plays the antagonist. Sachana Namidass, cast as Sethupathi's daughter, won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
The film has been fielding remake buzz since release. Aamir Khan acquired the Hindi rights in 2024, with reports at the time suggesting he would take on the lead role himself. A Hollywood version would make Maharaja one of the rare recent Tamil titles to travel in both directions at once.