Spike Lee slaps permanent ban on any Do the Right Thing remake

Spike Lee will never allow anyone to remake his classic 1989 film Do the Right Thing - even after he's dead.

The Da 5 Bloods filmmaker's movie about life in his beloved Brooklyn confirmed his status as one of Hollywood's top auteurs and is often listed among the greatest films of all time.

And when recently answering questions from stars and readers of U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Spike was asked if he would make a new version, given the timeliness of its themes of racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 25 May.

In response, the director gave an unequivocal no, and commented: "No. As long as I'm alive, there will be no remake and, if they try, I'm coming back from the dead to stop it."

The 63-year-old even went on to joke that he, the film's stars who have passed away, and even Frank Sinatra would return from beyond the grave to stop anyone remaking it.

"I promise you, I will come back from the pearly gates, from the upper room, to stop a remake," he added. "So help me God. I will bring him with me, and Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Bill Nunn, Frank Sinatra. Anybody that's passed; we'll all come back to stop a remake."

Spike does, however, have one project in mind for the future. He's considering making a film about controversial United States Army cavalry commander George Custer - who was killed after his troops were overwhelmed by Native American warriors at the Battle of Little Bighorn - from a new perspective.

"I would do that film, but Custer would not be the hero," the filmmaker explained. "He would be the villain and I would tell it from the viewpoint of the Native Americans. One day!"