Warner Bros. Discovery has established a new first-look film deal in Asia with Jack Nguyen, a seasoned company veteran. Announced on Monday, this agreement is set to be executed through Nguyen’s startup, Joat Films, and will center on creating Asian adaptations of Warner Bros.’ English-language film library. The initial project under this collaboration will be a Korean remake of the 2015 comedy-drama The Intern.
Nguyen, who spent 30 years at Warner Bros., managed local-language film operations in Asia and Latin America and spearheaded market expansions into China, India, Japan, and Korea. His tenure included overseeing important projects such as the Japanese films Letters from Iwo Jima, the Rurouni Kenshin series, and the Korean blockbuster The Age of Shadows.
Under the new deal, Nguyen will pitch Asia-focused film projects to Warner Bros. and co-produce these with local partners across various APAC markets, including Korea and India.
Kurt Rieder, SVP and head of theatrical distribution in APAC for Warner Bros. Discovery, praised Nguyen’s extensive industry knowledge and expertise in Asian film production. Rieder expressed enthusiasm about adapting popular Hollywood stories for Asian audiences through this new partnership.
Nguyen expressed his admiration for Warner Bros. and excitement about utilizing their intellectual property to produce high-quality local language remakes. He also aims to highlight emerging filmmakers and innovative projects, marking the beginning of a new chapter with one of Hollywood’s most esteemed studios.