Fast & Furious Director Justin Lin Eyes Film Adaptation of Chinglish

Film and TV director Justin Lin has acquired the rights to helm Tony winner David Henry Hwang’s comedy Chinglish for the big screen. Hwang will pen the script for the forthcoming movie adaptation. Lin plans to direct and co-produce the film with Bobbi Thompson through Lin’s production company Barnstorm Pictures. No casting has been announced.

"As soon as I saw Chinglish on Broadway, I began to envision this smart and insightful cross-cultural comedy as a film,” Lin said in a statement. “I’m excited about working with David to bring this very timely story to the screen.” Chinglish opened at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre on October 27, 2011. Starring Gary Wilmes, Stephen Pucci and Jennifer Lim, Chingish tells the story of an American businessman traveling to China to find a lucrative contact for his family’s sign-making company. The production closed January 29, 2012, after 109 total performances.

Hwang is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and won a Tony Award for M. Butterfly. In addition to Chinglish, his additional Broadway works include Face Value, Golden Child, and the books for Aida, Flower Drum Song and Tarzan.

Lin’s directing credits include Fast & Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Community, Better Lock Tomorrow, Fast Five and the upcoming The Fast and the Furious 6.