Crisis negotiators are not the first: 5 notable remakes of Hong Kong/Chinese Hollywood films

In light of its arrival, here are five other Chinese-language films that have emerged in Hollywood.

1. Connected (2008)

The 2004 thriller Cellular is best known for featuring the early performances of Chris Evans and Jason Statham, before they cemented their status as leading Hollywood action stars.

The 2008 Chans remake takes the same basic premise but tweaks a number of character details, while increasing the film's action quota, to deliver what proves to be a significantly more entertaining experience.

Chan's most notable change is the introduction of potential romance between the two leads.

Basinger was almost 30 years older than Evans in the original, so things remained decidedly platonic. In Connectedconversely, Koo and Hsus' characters are much closer in age, while also being free of any existing relational entanglements that might separate them.

2. A Simple Noodle Story (2009)

A remake of the Coen brothers' 1984 debut, Single Bloodwhose stars included John Getz, Frances McDormand and Dan Hedaya, A simple noodle story tells the story of a jealous restaurant owner (Ni Dahong), who hires a corrupt policeman (Sun Honglei) to kill his wife (Yan Ni) and her lover.

Zhang transplants the action of this sultry Texas neo-noir to the arid deserts of Gansu province, but otherwise remains faithful to the source material.

Most surprising is the film's largely humorous tone, which leans heavily on slapstick physical comedy and over-the-top, cartoonish performances.

It marked a notable departure for the director, who solidified his reputation with a series of stoic period dramas and opulent martial arts epics.

What the film does remember, however, is Zhang's dazzling visual sensibility, perfectly showcased through his breathtaking locations and sumptuous, brightly colored costumes.

3. What Women Want (2011)

As in the original film, which starred Oscar winners Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, Lau plays a chauvinistic ad man who meets his match in Gong's fiery newcomer to the business.

The roles are reversed when a freak accident allows Lau's character to hear the woman's innermost thoughts.

At first this gives him the upper hand on the dating circuit, helping him seduce women more easily, but after discovering how unpopular he is among his female colleagues, and even with his own daughter, he is eventually forced to change his habits.

Chen's film moves the action to Beijing, but otherwise keeps the narrative of Nancy Meyers' box office success largely intact.

The undeniable chemistry between Lau and Gong is a pleasure to watch, while the central theme of sexual politics in the workplace takes on added significance when revisited today in a post-MeToo environment.

4. Bride Wars (2015)

Tony Chan's Kwok-fais remake of the 2009 romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway is one of the best examples of this format.

When they both accidentally book the same venue on the same date, through the same coveted wedding planner, the former best friends turn on each other, becoming mortal enemies in a game of one-upmanship that escalates to the approach of the big day.

Incorporating traditional Chinese wedding rituals, Chans' film also satirizes the increasing ostentation of modern wedding ceremonies, even as it succumbs to many of these same pressures.

5. Fireflies in the Sun (2021)

Former actor Dai Mo's first feature film, Fireflies in the sun is a remake of the 2002 drama John Q.with Denzel Washington.

Adding to the confusion, the film is also being billed as a sequel to Sam Quahs. Sheep without a shepherd as of 2019, but despite employing the same production team and star, Xiao Yang, the story itself is unrelated.

A sin John Q.The drama centers on a desperate father (Xiao), who holds a hospital accident and emergency room at gunpoint until his young son receives a life-saving heart transplant.

The confrontation with the police outside, played here by a disheveled Simon Yam Tat-wah, turns into a media circus, with bystanders and hostages lining up to support the man and his cause.

In both films, the real enemy is a flawed medical system, whose inflated costs prove prohibitive for ordinary citizens.

However, to address these issues to mainland Chinese audiences, Dai's film sets itself in an unspecified country in Southeast Asia, outside Chinese jurisdiction.