Warner Bros. Discovery Inks First-Look Deal with Former Exec Jack Nguyen, Sets Korean Remake of ‘The Intern’

Warner Bros. Discovery has signed a first-look film deal in Asia with company veteran Jack Nguyen. The agreement, revealed Monday, was set up through Nguyen’s startup production banner Joat Films and will focus on Asia-focussed remakes of Warner Bros’ English-language library titles. The two partners said their first project under the pact will be a Korean remake of the 2015 comedy-drama The Intern.   

Nguyen is a former 30-year veteran of Warner Bros., where he supervised local-language film efforts primarily in the Asia and Latin America regions, and led market entries into China, India, Japan, and Korea. During his tenure, he oversaw the business that produced the Japanese films Letters from Iwo Jima, the Rurouni Kenshin franchise, and Yurusarezaru Mono, the remake of Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winner Unforgiven. In Korea, Warner Bros. produced and distributed the blockbuster The Age of Shadows, Korea’s 2017 submission for the Oscars’ best foreign language film category, The Witch, and other hits. 

Under the deal, Nguyen will present Asia-focused film projects to Warner Bros., while co-producing with local partners in various markets across APAC, including Korea and India.

Kurt Rieder, SVP and head of theatrical distribution in APAC for WBD said: “Jack is an industry veteran with a second-to-none understanding of the film production business across Asia. There is a strong appetite for remakes of universally popular Hollywood stories across the region, and we look forward to working with Jack to bring these to life through a new local lens.”

Nguyen added: “It should come as no surprise that I have a great deal of respect and loyalty to Warner Bros. after spending the majority of my career there. I’m honored to be entrusted with some of their valuable IP to produce high-quality local language remakes with the best filmmakers in those countries. In addition, I want to showcase new and talented filmmakers by finding “diamond in the rough” projects that deserve attention on the world stage. I’m excited to embark on this new chapter with the most storied studio in Hollywood.”