Wan Ziren and Patrick Wilson want to repeat Big Trouble in Little China
James Wan and Patrick Wilson love watching John Carpenter movies and often discuss the big trouble with remaking Little China.
James Wan and Patrick Wilson want to remake Big Trouble in Little China. Wan and Wilson first worked together on the 2010 horror film Insidious. Since then, Wilson has become Wan's Martin Scorsese's Leonardo DiCaprio, starring in five other directorial films, including "Aquaman" and its upcoming sequel, "Aquaman." and the Lost Kingdom". Add in Wilson's Wan-produced films, including several The Conjuring Universe spinoffs, and it's clear that the director-actor duo really enjoy getting together to make movies.
Given how close their relationship has grown over the years, it's no surprise that Wan and Wilson came up with some dream projects they'd be willing to sign. Wan actually shared that he and his favorite actors often talk and discuss a movie remake one day. But even Wan admits that this particular movie is one that he and Wilson probably shouldn't have been in. In an interview with EW, Wan talked about his and Wilson's love of John Carpenter's films, especially Big Trouble in Little China:
"One of the big reasons I love working with Patrick on my films is, he's such a film buff. He's truly, truly a film geek, and when we're working together, a lot of times we're not focused on the film we're shooting — we're talking about other movies. We all love to geek out about John Carpenter, about Big Trouble in Little China. You know, that's a big film for Patrick and myself, and we always fantasize about doing a remake of [it]."
What’s Going On With Dwayne Johnson’s Big Trouble In Little China Remake
The 1986 Carpenter-directed martial arts action-adventure film Big Trouble in Little China was indeed A fan of movies grown up in the 80s. Of course, there has been talk of a remake of the movie, with a star like Dwayne Johnson taking over Kurt Russell's original role. In announcing the project, Johnson expressed his love for Carpenter's original books and expressed his desire to "have John Carpenter on board in some capacity". But Carpenter himself slammed the idea of a Big Trouble remake, saying in 2018:
They want a movie with Dwayne Johnson. That’s what they want. So they just picked that title. They don’t give a s--t about me and my movie. That movie wasn’t a success.”
The good news for Carpenter is that, seven years after announcing plans for a remake, Little China's Big Trouble still hasn't come to fruition. However, an update was provided in 2018, when it was revealed that the remake would be changed to a sequel. Johnson's producing partner, Hiram Garcia, last updated on the status of the remake/sequel in 2021, when he said he and Johnson still wanted to do it, but said there were "complications with the legacy property."
Why No One Should Remake Big Trouble In Little China
Carpenter made it clear he was not interested in The Rock remaking Big Trouble in Little China. Frankly, the man won't let himself lose a fight on screen That seems like a poor choice for a story whose main character is destined to be a clown. It will be interesting to see if Carpenter feels differently about Wan and Wilson's idea of remaking his film. Wan seems like a filmmaker Carpenter might respect, and Wilson might not be self-centered enough to fill Russell's unassuming role. That being said, Big Trouble in Little China is something everyone should stay away from, as star James Hong himself suggested last year. In fact, Wan admitted to EW that remaking Carpenter's beloved classic would be "blasphemy."
More: Why Kurt Russell Hates Big Trouble in Little China Poster
