Samuel L Jackson joins Lee's Oldboy

Samuel L Jackson is the latest star to join the cast of Spike Lee's revenge thriller Oldboy.

Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen have already been announced as starring in the much-talked-about Hollywood remake of the acclaimed Korean thriller, and District 9 star Sharlto Copley will play the villain.

Now The LA Times has reported that Samuel has been signed up in a small but important role, as the man who is being tortured by the hero in a key revenge scene. In the original version this is one of the most memorable and disturbing scenes as the hero takes revenge on his former guard by removing his teeth one by one with the claw end of a hammer.

Oldboy tells the story of a man who spends 15 years in solitary confinement, without any explanation, after being kidnapped on his daughter's birthday, and upon his release sets out to take revenge on the people who destroyed his life.

Bruce Hornsby has also signed up to compose the soundtrack. The pianist has a long history of working with Spike Lee on his films.

Oldboy is due to begin shooting in September in Louisiana and New York.

Chan-wook Park's original 2003 film won the Grand Prize Jury Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and has become a cult classic.