Apr 26
Out Stars Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone Headline Remake of Ang Lee's Queer Rom-Com 'The Wedding Banquet'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Queer stars Bowen Yang ("Saturday Night Live") and Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") are set to lead in Andrew Ahn's ("Fire Island") remake of Ang Lee's beloved 1993 gay rom-com "The Wedding Banquet," Variety reported.
Ahn's remake makes the central characters Korean rather than Chinese and updates some plot points for the times, but follows the same general storyline as the original.
In the updated version, NBC News relayed, Korean protagonist Min proposes to his American boyfriend, Chris, who turns him down, which is problematic for Min since he needs a green card. At this juncture "Min convinces his best friend Angela to marry him instead," NBC News detailed, "paying for her partner Liz's IVF treatments in exchange for his green card."
"However, things begin to unravel when Min's grandmother makes a surprise trip from Seoul to throw the couple a Korean wedding banquet."
Lee's film was based on a similar premise, with Winston Chao playing Wai-Tung, a Chinese businessman living and working in the United States at a time before marriage equality was legal. His parents (Sihung Lung and Ya-Lei Kuei), who live in China, pressure him relentlessly to marry. When Wai-Tung's boyfriend, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein), suggests that Wai-Tung can satisfy his parents and save money on taxes by entering a marriage of convenience, Wai-Tung weds one of his tenants, Weo-Wei (May Chin), who agrees to the plan because she needs a green card.
The city hall marriage is a disappointment for Wai-Tung's parents, however, and they make the trip to America to throw the newlyweds a lavish wedding banquet. The marriage ploy involves Weo-Wai moving in with Wai-Tung and Simon in order to fool immigration officials as well as Wai-Tung's parents, but the new domestic configuration triggers complications that threaten to upend everyone's lives.
James Schamus, who co-wrote and produced the original film, is co-writer and producer of the new version as well.
Ang Lee gave his blessing, saying in a statement, "It warms my heart to see how my film from so many years ago has inspired a new generation to reimagine a new and different version."
"I look forward to seeing what Andrew Ahn and his wonderful cast create," Lee added.
Watch the trailer for the iconic original below.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
