In a major development, Vijay Sethupathi’s action-thriller, Maharaja, is set to be remade in Hollywood, becoming the first Tamil film to do so. The film is reportedly going to go on floors next year with Matthew McConaughey in talks to play the lead.

Maharaja producer Sudhan Sundaram confirmed the news to the Times of India, saying that the makers are setting up the project with an A-list star after being approached by a Hollywood agency for remake rights. This comes after the film did well at the box office in China, earning Rs 91.65 crore as per Sacnilk.

Sudhan didn’t confirm McConaughey’s involvement in the project but said that the agency is in talks with the actor.

Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, who also wrote the screenplay with Raam Murali, Maharaja also starred Anurag Kashyap in a negative role, along with Mamta Mohandas, Abhirami and Sachana Namidass. Sachana won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.

Maharaja is a revenge saga about a barber (Sethupathi) whose house is broken into. He tells the cops that his ‘Lakshmi’ has been stolen, without clearly expressing whether it’s a person or a thing. As Maharaja searches for his elusive ‘Lakshmi’, the plot expands into an elaborate action drama, with ample guns and gangsters thrown in. Following a non-linear structure, the film explores the nature of violence in the form of a crime thriller.

Maharaja was released in theatres in 2024 and received rave reviews. It has since generated remake buzz, with Aamir Khan acquiring Hindi rights that year with reports stating that he would play the lead.

The Hindu’s review of Maharaja read, “The film is yet another sign of the serious filmmaker Nithilan is, and shows us how a good writer can convert even a dated idea into a gripping big-screen experience.”