Remake, anyone?

Off the tracks
Pic's planned MTR posters deemed too scary
By VARIETY STAFF
It might have seemed like an obvious promo opportunity, but Hong Kong subway authorities weren’t onboard as Japanese horror pic “Ghost Train” looked to roll into town.

Posters planned for Hong Kong’s MTR system were deemed too scary, prompting several rethinks.

Pic, helmed by Takeshi Furusawa and bowing Nov. 23, is about people haunted after they pick up lost items on the train.

The first poster — featuring the image of a ghost child — was deemed too scary, so distrib Intercontinental submitted a toned-down version.

But MTR also objected to the poster’s ad copy and tagline: “To see the haunted truth on the MTR.” While the film isn’t about the MTR specifically, the term was used instead of the more generic subway or train.

The ad copy also offered three creepy warnings that clearly didn’t sit well with the MTR and its potential riders: “When you are taking the train there are three taboos: 1) Don’t pick up any lost items, 2) Never sit on the last train and 3) When you’re on the subway, don’t look to the end of the tunnel.”

Not exactly the messages you want to convey to harried commuters in a contained space.