Sony Pictures Acquires English Language Remake Rights to Chinese Blockbuster ‘Hi Mom’

The drama was the highest-grossing film by a solo female director until “Barbie”

Drew Taylor

October 18, 2023

Get ready to say “Hi Mom.”

Sony Pictures has acquired the English language remake rights to the Chinese dramedy directed by Jia Ling. It is one of the highest grossing local films in history, making almost $850 million at the box office when it was released in 2021. The film, which was also written by Ling, became the top-grossing film ever from a solo female director, a feat only recently succeeded by Greta Gerwig and “Barbie.”

The original movie is set in 2001, when a young woman’s mother dies in a car accident. Grief-stricken, she travels back to 1981. Fearing that she had been a bad daughter, she looks to make her mom’s life as happy as it can be, including setting her up with a local factory manager’s son. It sounds very sweet.

In early development, Laura Kosann is adapting the screenplay. Kosann is a 2021 Academy Nicholl Fellow and has had three features on the annual Black List in the past two years (including “Semper Maternus,” which is currently in development). Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Becky Sanderman are producing along with Wenxin She. Ling will executive producing the new movie.

“I am looking forward to this cooperation and I am so glad that my story with my mom can be shared with more people. I believe that while everyone’s story with their mom is unique, the love in these stories is universal and something we can all resonate with,” Ling said in an official statement.

Variety first reported the news.