DreamWorks Studios confirmed on Monday (30) it has bought remake rights to Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda’s film Like Father, Like Son.

Fuji TV made the announcement on Monday. Like Father, Like Son won the jury prize in Cannes and tells the story of two families who discover their six-year-old sons were switched at birth.

DreamWorks principal Steven Spielberg served as president of the jury in Cannes where he first saw the film and notified the studio.

“When I saw the film at Cannes, I was so impressed by its power to bring such a human story to the screen,” said Spielberg. “Here at DreamWorks Studios, Stacey [Snider] and our team recognised that it was a story we wanted to remake to bring to our audiences throughout the world. I thank Hirokazu Koreeda and Fuji TV for giving us this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“I am honoured that a company such as DreamWorks will be developing my film for American audiences,” said Koreeda. “I’m looking forward to working with Steven Spielberg, for whom I have great admiration.”

Like Father, Like Son opened in Japan last week (28).

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