French production company Master Movies has acquired the rights to the French remake of the 2023 Chinese comedy film “Johnny Keep Walking!” The deal, signed with Chinese film company Tiger Pictures Entertainment, is one of the rare cases of a mainland Chinese film being remade in a foreign language.
Described as a sharp satire on corporate bureaucracy and office politics, the original film was directed by Don Runian, written by Dong and Yin Rujia, and starred journeyman comedian Da Peng.
The film, whose Chinese title literally means “The annual company party cannot be stopped,” is about a simple engineer at a rural factory who is mistakenly promoted to a senior management position at the company’s headquarters due to a series of clerical errors and a failed bribery scheme.
The film was a sleeper hit in mainland China, grossing RMB 1.292 billion ($186 million). Internationally, the film was released theatrically in 11 territories and grossed $995,000. Tiger Pictures handled the film’s international distribution.
“‘Johnny Keep Walking!'” “This is a remarkable milestone for the Chinese film industry and is one of the few Chinese films to be remade for Western audiences, highlighting the growing international reach of Chinese storytelling,” said Owen Young, president of Tiger Pictures Entertainment.
Directors Laura and Marco Pacchioni of Master Movies said in a statement: “We are thrilled to have acquired the rights to the French adaptation of Johnny Keep Walking! This sharp and accurate look at corporate life is extremely entertaining and insightful.” “This is a clear fit with Master Movies’ editorial line-up, which champions distinctive, character-driven stories with an accurate and contemporary perspective on society, and we look forward to bringing it to French audiences.”
Chinese producers say the original version’s themes of toxic corporate environments and bureaucratic structures make it suitable for cross-cultural adaptation.
Tiger Pictures described the deal as part of the company’s transition from its core business of international distribution of Chinese films to a broader strategy of international intellectual property management and development.
