Warner Bros. announced the signing of a major contract with a Korean production company to launch new remakes.
Is Korea about to become the new El Dorado of Hollywood? The interest of American majors in The Land of Fresh Mornings is not new, since from the mid-2000s, we were treated to Americanized versions of Korean films: The Sea became Between two shores with Keanu Reeves, Addicted by Park Young-Hoon gave Possession, My Sassy Girl retained its name for its US version remake, and even Old Boy was entitled to its American version, under the name of Oldboy (no space because why not), directed by Spike Lee.
A trend which has increased in recent years, as evidenced by the desire to adapt Parasite in American series, and that of Squid Game baptized Squid Game : Americawhich will be designed by David Fincher for Netflix. And it's not about to stop, because Warner Bros. has just signed a huge contract with the Korean firm CJ ENM, in order to be able to produce new remakes of Korean productions.
Warner in football
However, it is important to clarify that the contract signed between Warner and the Korean giant CJ ENM (which is active in the fields of music, television, cinema and animation) will work both ways. That is to say, Warner will be able to produce remakes of Korean entertainment in English, but the Korean firm will also be able to produce Korean remakes of films and series in English.
Among its vast cinematographic catalog, the CJ ENM has films Mademoiselle et Old Boy by Park Chan-Wook, Parasite et Memories of Murder by Bong Joon-Ho, or even by Past Lives – Nos vies d’avant by Celine Song. For its part, Warner has in its luggage the Harry Potter, DC Comics films, but also Lethal Weapon and the saga Matrix.
Thanks to this contract, Warner will become the distributor of CJ ENM films internationally, with the exception of South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Turkey, where CJ ENM will retain its distributor role.
According to the information revealed by Variety in an article dated November 19, 2024, although the two companies will be able to launch various remakes, it is specified that the original producer of the films concerned will have a say in the various artistic decisions and on the quality of the final product. Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, co-chairmen and CEOs of Warner Bros. were obviously very enthusiastic following the signing of this agreement.
“CJ Vice President Miky Lee and the CJ ENM team have built an enviable film lineup over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences around the world entire. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with CJ ENM as we look to expand Warner Bros.' film offerings. Motion Picture Group worldwide. »
Warner's enthusiasm is of course widely shared by Jerry Kyoungboum Ko, head of cinematographic activities at CJ ENM:
“Warner Bros. has a legendary library that bridges Hollywood past and present and is steeped in excellence. Warner Bros. and CJ have built up vast libraries in North America and Asia, each in their own way. This collaboration allows us to discover and revitalize hidden gems, bringing inspiring stories to today's audiences. It’s a wonderful privilege to be associated with an iconic brand that boldly continues to evolve, create and champion storytelling at the highest level. »
Between a model of intercultural collaborations and blatant commercial opportunism, this agreement between Warner and CJ ENM will above all allow the two companies to expand their respective catalogs. That said, the sentence “ discover and revitalize hidden gems » by Jerry Kyoungboum Ko opens the door to certain fantasies. We can't wait to see the Police Academy in Korean version.
