A Mandarin-language remake of the 1991 Ridley Scott classic Thelma & Louise is officially in the works, with Beijing-based production outfit Stars Collective securing the rights to adapt the iconic road-trip drama. The new film, titled Grandma, Please, will transpose the story of two women on the run into a contemporary Chinese setting, with a focus on the generational bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter.
The project was first unveiled at the Sundance Film Festival, where Stars Collective presented the concept to buyers and partners, generating significant buzz for its novel reimagining of a beloved Hollywood staple. While plot specifics remain under wraps, the studio has confirmed that the core narrative - two women escaping their stifling everyday lives only to find themselves fugitives - will be preserved, but the dynamic will shift to reflect multigenerational family ties that resonate deeply with Chinese audiences.
Stars Collective, known for bridging Eastern and Western cinematic sensibilities, has positioned Grandma, Please as a star vehicle for veteran Chinese actress Siqin Gaowa, who is attached to portray the elder lead. The role of the granddaughter is still in casting, though the studio has hinted at pairing Gaowa with a rising young talent from the Chinese film circuit. The production is slated to begin principal photography in early 2027, with locations split between urban Shanghai and the dramatic landscapes of western China’s Gansu province, a visual nod to the original’s sweeping desert cinematography.
The announcement arrives at a time when Chinese studios are increasingly looking to adapt Western intellectual property with local twists, moving beyond simple translations of plot to cultural recontextualization. The original Thelma & Louise - which starred Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon as two friends whose weekend getaway spirals into a crime spree and a defiant flight from the law - was a landmark feminist statement in early ’90s Hollywood, earning six Academy Award nominations and winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Its themes of female solidarity against patriarchal oppression made it a cultural touchstone, and Stars Collective is betting that those themes translate powerfully when reframed through the lens of Confucian family dynamics.
Director Zhao Xiaoding, best known for his cinematography work on Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers and Hero, has been tapped to helm the project. This will mark his second feature as director after the critically acclaimed 2023 drama A Long Way Home. In a statement provided to the press, Zhao expressed excitement about the challenge: “Thelma and Louise’s journey was about liberation through recklessness. Our version is about liberation through memory - the grandmother carries the weight of a lifetime, and the granddaughter carries the weight of the future. Together, they find a middle ground where neither has to be alone.” The studio has emphasized that the remake will not be a shot-for-shot reproduction but rather an emotional adaptation, with a screenplay by emerging writer Chen Sicheng that reportedly reworks the original’s famous ending into something the team describes as “both hopeful and haunting.”
The title Grandma, Please has drawn curiosity for its playful tone, which contrasts with the darker subject matter. Stars Collective explained in a press release that the name reflects the verbal tug-of-war between the two leads - the granddaughter constantly pleading with her grandmother to slow down, and the grandmother, in turn, demanding the girl live boldly. It’s a linguistic twist that the studio hopes will charm domestic audiences while also signaling the generational rift at the heart of the story.
Industry observers note that the remake carries inherent risk. The original film, with its 130-minute runtime and deliberate pacing, is often cited as a masterclass in character-driven storytelling, and any adaptation must navigate the delicate balance of honoring source material while justifying its existence. However, the involvement of Stars Collective, which has built a reputation for high-quality cross-cultural productions like the 2024 hit The Farewell (a U.S.-China co-production that earned global acclaim), has tempered skepticism. The company’s track record of partnering with heritage filmmakers suggests Grandma, Please will aim for festival prestige rather than purely commercial appeal.
No release date has been set, but the project is expected to target a 2028 festival premiere, with a possible berth at either Cannes or Venice. The filmmakers have also expressed interest in a simultaneous international rollout through a North American distributor, though no deal has been finalized. For now, fans of the original can take comfort in knowing that while the names, the roads, and the language will change, the spirit of two women refusing to be defined by the men and systems that confine them appears to be in good hands.
Source: Variety
