Top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang will step in entrance of the digicam alongside Chinese-American actor-director Joan Chen in an area adaptation of the 2009 Hollywood tearjerker “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” which started taking pictures Thursday.

It is presently set to premiere on New Year’s Eve.

Feng is finest identified for his work as a director on movies corresponding to “Youth,” “I Am Not Madame Bovary” and “Cellphone,” however he has additionally ceaselessly taken on appearing roles, together with his most up-to-date starring position in 2015’s “Mr. Six.” China-born Chen (“The Last Emperor,” “Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl”) is among the few main women with a strong profession on either side of the Pacific.

The Chinese “Hachi” remake can be helmed by Xu Ang, who beforehand directed “12 Citizens (2014),” a Chinese model of Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men,” and the favored Sohu TV police procedural internet collection “Medical Examiner Dr. Qin.” It is billed as an “original iQiyi productioni” from iQiyi Films and government produced by Taiwanese veteran Yeh Jufeng.

It will stroll a properly-trodden path. The true story of a trustworthy Akita named Hachi has already impressed two movies — the Hollywood model starring Richard Gere within the lead position now being performed by Feng, and an earlier 1987 Japanese take, “Hachiko Monogatari.” Both depict a love so sturdy between a canine and his proprietor that the canine continues to await his grasp on the similar downtown spot, the place he used to get off work, each day for a complete decade after the person dies.

Chen is ready to play Feng’s spouse within the Chinese model. It is unclear whether or not it’s a proper remake of both the American or Japanese title.

China’s model won’t characteristic an Akita, a Japanese canine breed, however as an alternative a Chinese subject canine native to the nation. The breed is one in all a quantity usually lumped collectively as “tugou” or “rural dogs,” which are sometimes thought of to be pesky strays and are one of many extra fashionable breeds controversially — and more and more hardly ever — consumed as meat. The Chinese subject canine is one in all 22 banned breeds that as of 2018 couldn’t be legally registered as pets in just a few Chinese cities.

With the expansion of China’s center class has come an increase in pet possession. Some 22% of households personal a pet, and that depend is predicted to develop. A pet trade white paper mentioned canine and cat house owners spent a large $29 million pampering their companions in 2019, an 18.5% rise 12 months over 12 months.

The $16 million-budgeted, New England-set “Hachi” grossed $46.7 million globally. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and counting Gere amongst its producers, it was written by Stephen P. Lindsey and Kaneto Shindo, who penned the story for Japan’s authentic “Hachiko.” That title led the Japanese field workplace the 12 months of its launch.

iQiyi

Although neither movie has hit Chinese cinemas, they each have excessive consumer scores on the nation’s prime apps. American “Hachi” boasts a 9.three and a 9.four out of 10 on Maoyan and Douban, respectively, whereas Japanese “Hachiko” charges a 9 and a 9.2 on the identical. Variety’s overview known as “Hachi” a household-pleasant “simple tearjerker” with a retro really feel.

Dog movies have change into an more and more fashionable style in China, and numerous Hollywood tales that includes man’s finest buddy have discovered field workplace success within the territory. In 2017, the Dennis Quaid-starring “A Dog’s Purpose” grossed $88.2 million in China, whereas its sequel “A Dog’s Journey” earned $29.2 million. The Sino-U.S. manufacturing backed by Columbia Pictures and Bona Film “A Dog’s Way Home” grossed $5.37 million in 2019.

The official Chinese poster contains a canine and his proprietor hand in paw.

Watch the trailers for “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” and “Hachiko Monogatari” under.