Production on “Mr. Hero” has begun in Vietnam. This drama is about a father who performs a heroic rescue to impress his daughter, but ends up attracting national attention himself.
The feature represents a collaboration between HK Film, V Pictures and Fremantle company Beach House Pictures. Vietnamese comedy star Thai Hoa leads the cast under the direction of director Vo Taha Thao, the filmmaker behind the hit series “Kai Tao No Hoa,” which attracted more than 350 million viewers when it first aired in Vietnam.
Timothy Linh Bui is the producer of Happy Canvas along with Do Dinh Truong, Trinh Hoan, and Tuong Vi. Thao co-wrote the script with Doan Hai Van.
The project was inspired by a 2011 incident in which Nguyen Ngoc Manh rescued a child who had fallen from a 12th-floor window, and was widely praised. Tao’s script flips the premise on its head. The protagonist stages his own heroic moment and then has to deal with the consequences when the deception snowballs. According to the filmmakers, this character’s journey toward true courage forms the emotional core of the story.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring this heartfelt story to the screen,” said producer Bui. “I have known HK Film, V Pictures and Conor for several years and were looking for the right project to collaborate on together. I am delighted that we all recognized the potential of Mr. Hero, a moving and universal story that will resonate with audiences around the world.”
Thai Hoa has emerged as one of Vietnam’s top box office performers ever since his breakthrough performance playing a cross-dressing character in “Fool for Love.” This year, he headlined “The Tunnel” and “Hijack 78,” the latter drawing more than 2.5 million people locally.
HK Film Executive Producer Phuong Nguyen said, “HK Film is pleased to collaborate with V Pictures, Beach House Pictures, and visionary director Bo Thac Thao on ‘Mr. Hero.'” We believe this moving story of a father’s love and sacrifice will deeply connect with audiences, and we are excited to work with these esteemed partners to bring this emotional journey to life and demonstrate the universal power of family dedication. ”
For Beach House Pictures, this project marks a continued expansion into the Vietnamese market. “We are really excited to be joining forces with Timothy, Trinh Hoang, V Pictures and the amazing team at Hong Kong Film,” said Connor Zorn, Head of Script at Beach House Pictures. “We remain steadfast in championing new voices and stories across Asia as the region continues to make a name for itself on the global stage.”
V Pictures CEO Nguyen Hoang Hai added, “This is an incredibly exciting partnership for our studio. With a strong ensemble cast, a talented director, and a strong and experienced team, Mr. Hero has all the ingredients to be a huge box office success. At its core is a strong and compelling story that will resonate deeply with audiences.”
Principal photography is currently underway on location in Vietnam. CJ CGV plans to distribute the film locally in April 2026.
