Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story star, Stan Eze, says remake 'way bigger' than original

Eze says the new film is being remade to be bigger than the original classic.

Star of Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story, Stan Nze, says the upcoming film is 'way bigger' than the original Amaka Igwe classic, Rattlesnake.

Nze will star as the remake's titular Ahanna, with an ensemble supporting cast of Osas Ighodaro, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Chiwetalu Agu, Sonny McDon, Nobert Young, Ejike Asiegbu, and Fred Amata.

Others include Bucci Franklin, Efa Iwara, AY Makun, Emeka Nwagbaraocha, Brutus Richards, Odera Adimorah, Elma Mbadiwe, Tobi Bakare, Chinyere Wilfred, Cassandra Odita, and Gloria Young.

L-R: Stan Nze, Osas Ighodaro, and Bucci Franklin, pictured on set, play starring roles in Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story [Play Network Studios]

The original Rattlesnake is about a young man named Ahanna who is forced to take to a life of crime after the mysterious death of his father and ensuing cruelty of his uncle.

Nze said at a virtual press conference for the cast and crew of The Ahanna Story on Thursday, September 24, 2020 he was initially burdened about how big the new story is.

The Tinsel star said he had to watch the original film to familiarise himself with the project, but also had to do his best to not let it weigh on the direction he takes his character in the remake.

He said, "One of the things I did was to try and forget the first one.

"I cannot act Ahanna like Francis Duru did.

"I'm a different man and I'm going to reach through to the character the way I want to do it.

"I wiped the first film from my memory and went on a journey for Ahanna."

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Nze said he was also able to overcome his initial jitters with the help of an 'amazing team' especially expressing appreciation for Ramsay Nouah who is directing his second film after his award-winning debut with 2019's Living In Bondage: Breaking Free, a sequel to another Nollywood classic from the 1990s.

"From the first time we met, he's been talking to us about how we should build character and use synergy within ourselves and the fact that this is a new film.

"We're remaking it and making it better," he said.

Ighodaro, another of the film's stars, said viewers will easily fall in love with the work that the actors put into the project.

Osas Ighodaro is confident viewers will love the remake [Instagram/@officialosas]

The award-winning actress, also a Tinsel alum, plays Amara, a character that is Ahanna's love interest in the original but in the new film is also billed as a member of his gang of thieves, known as The Armadas.

She said her desire to put her best foot forward helped her deal with the pressure of her role in the remake.

"We sat down, right before filming, with the director, and he noted how important it is to work as a team.

"We were a family and had each other's backs so that we would become one with the characters.

"Once we had that bond, it was easy to tap into those characters," the 36-year-old said.

The success of the original Rattlesnake was partly down to the intense conflict between the characters of Ahanna and Nze, close friends turned adversaries, and the strength of the performances of the actors that played the characters.

Bucci Franklin is delighted with the great team behind the Rattlesnake remake [Instagram/@buccifranklin]

Bucci Franklin, who plays Nze in the remake, said he was initially worried about acceptance from his co-stars but overcame it due to the camaraderie on set.

"I'm really grateful to God to be a part of this project," the Knockout Blessing standout star said.

Writer of the remake, Nicole Asinugo, said The Ahanna Story is reimagined for the present demographic of viewers and will show some fringe characters in the original in new light.

She said writing the script for the film was also a bit more unique than writing for Living In Bondage: Breaking Free, for which she was awarded 'Best Writer' alongside CJ Obasi at the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA).

"There was such attention to detail with this one. There were four drafts for this to get to the final one.

"I think this was a little bit more meticulous," she said.

Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story was shot in four weeks despite the limitations enforced by the coronavirus pandemic, and will premiere in cinemas on November 13, according to Charles Okpaleke, the film's executive producer.