Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang will star in Bleecker Street and Shivhans Pictures’ remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 romantic comedy “The Wedding Banquet” from director Andrew Ahn.
Kelly Marie Tran, Oscar winner Yuh-jung Youn and Joan Chen are also attached to star.
The reimagination of Lee’s Oscar-nominated film is based on a screenplay by Ahn and James Schamus. Schamus also co-wrote the original film with Lee and Neil Peng.
The film, which begins filming in May in Vancouver, follows what happens when Min’s boyfriend Chris rejects his marriage proposal. Min convinces his best friend Angela to marry him instead, paying for her partner Liz’s IVF treatments in exchange for his green card. However, things begin to unravel when Min’s grandmother makes a surprise trip from Seoul to throw the couple a Korean wedding banquet.
“It warms my heart to see how my film from so many years ago has inspired a new generation to reimagine a new and different version,” Lee said in a statement Thursday. “I look forward to seeing what Andrew Ahn and his wonderful cast create.”
Schamus is producing with partner Joe Pirro under their Symbolic Exchange banner alongside Anita Gou and Caroline Clark for Kindred Spirit. Jordan Hart is set to co-produce. Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures have co-acquired the North American rights with plans to release the film theatrically in 2025. Andrew Karpen, Shivani Rawat, Kent Sanderson, Julie Goldstein, Sam Intili and Daniel Bekerman will executive produce. Jenny Jue is serving as the casting director.
“I’m delighted to re-team with my longtime friend and colleague, James Schamus, on this inspired reimagining of a classic rom-com for the modern era,” said Karpen, founder and CEO of Bleecker Street. “Andrew Ahn is a force to be reckoned with and I’m very excited to see the new heights that he and James will take this story to.”
Gladstone is represented by IAG, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and McKuin Frankel Whitehead. Yang is repped by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Tran is repped by CAA, M88, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Youn by CAA and Echelon Talent Management. Chen by Inphenate and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Ahn is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Jerry Dasti at Sloss Eckhouse.
Source Agencies
