Andrew Ahn remaking Ang Lee’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’: reports
By Carl Samson
Andrew Ahn is set to helm a remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 romantic comedy “The Wedding Banquet,” according to reports.
Key points:
- The remake modernizes the critically acclaimed original, focusing on a Korean queer man navigating personal relationships and cultural expectations in Seattle.
- Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Youn Yuh-jung and Joan Chen are said to be joining the new movie.
- Filming will reportedly kick off in Vancouver next month.
The details:
- Lee’s “Wedding Banquet” was lauded for its portrayal of a gay Taiwanese immigrant who stages a marriage of convenience to appease his parents. It earned a Golden Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival, as well as Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
- The remake, as per The Cinemaholic, follows Min, a Korean queer man who finds his marriage proposal to his boyfriend, Chris, rejected. In a bid to secure a green card, Min persuades his best friend Angela to marry him, offering to fund her partner Liz’s IVF treatment in return. Their plans for a simple elopement are disrupted when Min’s grandmother arrives, intent on throwing a lavish Korean wedding.
- The ensemble cast includes Bowen Yang as Chris, Kelly Marie Tran as Angela, Lily Gladstone as Liz, Youn Yuh-jung as Min’s grandmother and Joan Chen in an unannounced role. Casting for Min is still underway.
- Ahn is known for his thoughtful depictions of queer Asian American lives in films like “Spa Night,” “Driveways” and “Fire Island.” He told Deadline last year, “I’m out here trying to make as many queer Asian American things as possible so that people understand the diversity within the diversity.”
- The remake is co-written by Ahn and James Schamus. The latter also co-wrote the 1993 script with Lee and Ted Hope.
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