The Intern

Warner Bros Discovery has signed a first-look deal with veteran executive Jack Nguyen and has set their first project as a Korean remake of US comedy-drama The Intern.

The agreement was made through Nguyen’s Joat Films and will focus on Asia-centric features with an emphasis on local-language remakes of Warner Bros’ English-language titles.

The inaugural project will be a Korean remake of The Intern, the 2015 film that starred Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway and took nearly $195m at the worldwide box office.

Nguyen previously spent 30 years at Warner Bros, stepping down in November 2020 as senior vice president of local productions and acquisitions. Overseeing local language business in Asia and Latin America, his tenure included work on Clint Eastwood’s Letters From Iwo Jima, the Rurouni Kenshin franchise, and Yurusarezaru Mono – a remake of Eastwood’s Unforgiven.

Nguyen said: “I’m honoured to be entrusted with some of [Warner Bros.] 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.”

Kurt Rieder, senior vice president and head of theatrical distribution in APAC for WBD, added: “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.”

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