Exclusive: Taiwanese production and sales outfit Flash Forward Entertainment has unveiled new titles for Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), including fantasy romance Time Loop With the Moon and Moonlight, Ripples!.
Patrick Mao Huang leads Flash Forward, and he has co-produced titles like Karlovy Vary best director prize-winner Pierce, as well as Tiger Stripes, which picked up the Grand Prix at Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique in 2023.
Huang unveiled Time Loop With the Moon as a new title on the company’s slate for EFM. Currently in development, the fantasy-infused coming-of-age romance was adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Misa.
The project follows a teenage girl who makes a wish to reunite with her lost friend. She soon wakes up in the past, inhabiting the body of another person on the night of a tragic event. Trapped in an endless time loop, she must unravel the...
Patrick Mao Huang leads Flash Forward, and he has co-produced titles like Karlovy Vary best director prize-winner Pierce, as well as Tiger Stripes, which picked up the Grand Prix at Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique in 2023.
Huang unveiled Time Loop With the Moon as a new title on the company’s slate for EFM. Currently in development, the fantasy-infused coming-of-age romance was adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Misa.
The project follows a teenage girl who makes a wish to reunite with her lost friend. She soon wakes up in the past, inhabiting the body of another person on the night of a tragic event. Trapped in an endless time loop, she must unravel the...
- 2/14/2025
- by Sara Merican
- Deadline Film + TV
The theme of a father and a son, and to a lesser degree a mother and a daughter having romantic and sexual interactions with the same person has been repeatedly explored in cinema throughout the years. In the current era, however, an LGBTQ twist was bound to happen, this time coming from Taiwan, the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.
Blind Love is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
As his high school years draw to a close, teenager Han feels the weight of his family’s outwardly perfect image. His father, a respected surgeon, expects him to follow in his footsteps, pressuring him constantly, while his mother, Shu-yi, does not seem to have a say in the matter, and a whole other series of matters actually. At the same time, it is she who is keeping the family, which includes a younger son, together, dealing with every daily...
Blind Love is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
As his high school years draw to a close, teenager Han feels the weight of his family’s outwardly perfect image. His father, a respected surgeon, expects him to follow in his footsteps, pressuring him constantly, while his mother, Shu-yi, does not seem to have a say in the matter, and a whole other series of matters actually. At the same time, it is she who is keeping the family, which includes a younger son, together, dealing with every daily...
- 2/6/2025
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There’s such an intimate, unflashy style to director Julian Chou’s handling of complex, personal revelations in “Blind Love” (2025) that you’re carried into its folds with little resistance. A subtle, minimalist tone belies the proceedings. There are no overwrought beats nor strains of emotional manipulation in places where those might have been easy, instant reflexes. Barring the occasionally heavy-handed use of blindness as metaphor, Chou maintains a direct simplicity, walking and not rushing with her characters. No arc is belabored as characters navigate a host of dilemmas, and reappraise choices and paths their lives can afford to take.
Circling a family, “Blind Love” is most well-realized when it focuses on Shu-yi (Ariel Lin). She is the prototype of the perfect wife and mother. She has no twinge of a personal life other than being devoted to domestic duties. Her husband, Feng (Frederick Lee), is a successful surgeon. They have two sons,...
Circling a family, “Blind Love” is most well-realized when it focuses on Shu-yi (Ariel Lin). She is the prototype of the perfect wife and mother. She has no twinge of a personal life other than being devoted to domestic duties. Her husband, Feng (Frederick Lee), is a successful surgeon. They have two sons,...
- 2/6/2025
- by Debanjan Dhar
- High on Films
Screen can unveil the first trailer for Julian Chou’s Blind Love, which is set to world premiere in the Tiger competition at the upcoming Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR).
A drama about a high-school boy who falls in love with his mother’s ex-girlfriend, it stars Ariel Lin, recently named best actress at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards.Ke-Xi Wu, Jimmy Liu, Frederick Lee co-star
Blind Love recently won the Screenplay Award at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Fpp) project market.
Director Chou is a talent agent who has produced TV series I Will Never Let You Go...
A drama about a high-school boy who falls in love with his mother’s ex-girlfriend, it stars Ariel Lin, recently named best actress at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards.Ke-Xi Wu, Jimmy Liu, Frederick Lee co-star
Blind Love recently won the Screenplay Award at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Fpp) project market.
Director Chou is a talent agent who has produced TV series I Will Never Let You Go...
- 1/29/2025
- ScreenDaily
After a strike-filled 2023, a number of TV shows are still waiting to be renewed or canceled by their respective networks and streamers in 2024.
As broadcast and cable networks — as well as their streaming counterparts —double down on their impending decisions for on the bubble series, the fate for both freshman shows and longrunning series hangs in the balance.
This year TV fans will say goodbye to several beloved favorites, including Chuck Lorre’s CBS sitcoms “Bob Hearts Abishola” and “Young Sheldon,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” ABC’s “Station 19,” Disney’s “Bunk’d” and Freeform’s “Good Trouble,” to name a few.
Get latest on the future of your favorite shows below:
“3 Body Problem” (Netflix) – Renewed & Ending
The sci-fi adaptation, which launched its first season in March, is officially set to air second and third installments before coming to a close, offering clarity to the streamer’s previous statement...
As broadcast and cable networks — as well as their streaming counterparts —double down on their impending decisions for on the bubble series, the fate for both freshman shows and longrunning series hangs in the balance.
This year TV fans will say goodbye to several beloved favorites, including Chuck Lorre’s CBS sitcoms “Bob Hearts Abishola” and “Young Sheldon,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” ABC’s “Station 19,” Disney’s “Bunk’d” and Freeform’s “Good Trouble,” to name a few.
Get latest on the future of your favorite shows below:
“3 Body Problem” (Netflix) – Renewed & Ending
The sci-fi adaptation, which launched its first season in March, is officially set to air second and third installments before coming to a close, offering clarity to the streamer’s previous statement...
- 12/10/2024
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Jamie Yao was created as a replacement to the negatively stereotype "Chin-Kee" character from the graphic novel American Born Chinese. Ke Huy Quan's role as Jamie reflects his own career trajectory after early success in movies like Indiana Jones and The Goonies. The character of Jamie serves as a more nuanced and approachable example of the harmful stereotypes depicted in the original graphic novel.
Ke Huy Quan's character, Jamie Yao/Freddy Wong, is a replacement for "Chin-Kee" in American Born Chinese, and it's understandable why the creators would have wanted to make that particular switch. Disney+'s American Born Chinese is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. The coming-of-age fantasy action comedy follows tenth-grader Jin Wang (Ben Wang), the son of Chinese immigrants, who is roped into a battle between ancient Chinese gods by a new exchange student Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu). Wei-Chen...
Ke Huy Quan's character, Jamie Yao/Freddy Wong, is a replacement for "Chin-Kee" in American Born Chinese, and it's understandable why the creators would have wanted to make that particular switch. Disney+'s American Born Chinese is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. The coming-of-age fantasy action comedy follows tenth-grader Jin Wang (Ben Wang), the son of Chinese immigrants, who is roped into a battle between ancient Chinese gods by a new exchange student Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu). Wei-Chen...
- 4/13/2024
- by Zachary Moser
- ScreenRant
American Born Chinese has been canceled by Disney+ after one season, likely due to low viewership numbers. The show is unlikely to be picked up by another streaming platform due to its large scale and licensing issues. Season 2 could have expanded on the mythological origins of the story and introduced other Chinese figures, but it will not happen.
The Disney Plus original series American Born Chinese presented an action-comedy experience unlike anything else on the streaming service, but season 2 isn't happening. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese follows high school student Ben Wang who finds himself thrust into the middle of an epic battle between mythical Chinese gods. Touching on themes like identity, bullying, and a host of other coming-of-age topics, American Born Chinese season 1 stood out because of its stellar cast and unique approach to storytelling
Reflecting author Yang...
The Disney Plus original series American Born Chinese presented an action-comedy experience unlike anything else on the streaming service, but season 2 isn't happening. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese follows high school student Ben Wang who finds himself thrust into the middle of an epic battle between mythical Chinese gods. Touching on themes like identity, bullying, and a host of other coming-of-age topics, American Born Chinese season 1 stood out because of its stellar cast and unique approach to storytelling
Reflecting author Yang...
- 1/7/2024
- by Dalton Norman
- ScreenRant
American Born Chinese has been cancelled after one season by Disney+. The eight-episode fantasy action-comedy series series debuted in May and was created by Kelvin Yu.
Starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Ben Wang, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Daniel Wu, Jimmy Liu, Sydney Taylor, and Stephanie Hsu, American Born Chinese is based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. It is a coming-of-age story about a teen struggling to balance his home and school lives.
Read More…...
Starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Ben Wang, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Daniel Wu, Jimmy Liu, Sydney Taylor, and Stephanie Hsu, American Born Chinese is based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. It is a coming-of-age story about a teen struggling to balance his home and school lives.
Read More…...
- 1/6/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
This is why we can’t have nice things. Disney+ announced today that it will not move forward with a second season of the action-fantasy series American Born Chinese. The decision to cancel the series comes seven months after Disney debuted the eight-episode series on its streaming service, Disney+. The cancelation is raising a red flag for fans of the series, as Disney tends to purge content from Disney+ to save money and digital real estate. We’ve seen the mouse-eared streamer purge content before, with shows like Willow, Turner & Hooch, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and more. According to Deadline, options on the cast expired yesterday. However, there could be a silver lining to this disappointing news. 20th Television still plans to shop the series to other outlets, giving the show a chance to live again through another platform.
Per Disney+, here’s the...
Per Disney+, here’s the...
- 1/5/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
“American Born Chinese” has been canceled after one season at Disney+, Variety has learned.
According to an individual with knowledge of the decision, Disney was high on the creative of the series, but its viewership did not justify greenlighting a second season. The producers plan to shop the series to other outlets.
“American Born Chinese” debuted on Disney+ on May. The Disney Branded Television series was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. The official logline states that the show “chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god.”
The cast of the series included Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Jimmy Liu, Ke Huy Quan, Sydney Taylor, and Daniel Wu. The show received positive reviews from critics, with the first season holding a 94% approval rating based on 51 reviews.
According to an individual with knowledge of the decision, Disney was high on the creative of the series, but its viewership did not justify greenlighting a second season. The producers plan to shop the series to other outlets.
“American Born Chinese” debuted on Disney+ on May. The Disney Branded Television series was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. The official logline states that the show “chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god.”
The cast of the series included Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Jimmy Liu, Ke Huy Quan, Sydney Taylor, and Daniel Wu. The show received positive reviews from critics, with the first season holding a 94% approval rating based on 51 reviews.
- 1/5/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Disney+ is not proceeding with a second season of Disney Branded Television/20th Television’s action fantasy series American Born Chinese, which stars Oscar winners Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh.
The decision comes more than seven months after the eight-episode first season was released May 24. It also comes after the options on the cast expired yesterday, I hear. 20th Television still plans to shop the series elsewhere.
Created by Kelvin Yu based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese had an impeccable timing, launching on the heels of the 2023 awards season that saw Yeoh and Quan win trophy after trophy for their movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, culminating with both of them landing Oscars in March.
Despite featuring Hollywood’s “it” duo of the moment in Yeoh and Quan and garnering strong reviews, American Born Chinese could not attract a large enough audience and did...
The decision comes more than seven months after the eight-episode first season was released May 24. It also comes after the options on the cast expired yesterday, I hear. 20th Television still plans to shop the series elsewhere.
Created by Kelvin Yu based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese had an impeccable timing, launching on the heels of the 2023 awards season that saw Yeoh and Quan win trophy after trophy for their movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, culminating with both of them landing Oscars in March.
Despite featuring Hollywood’s “it” duo of the moment in Yeoh and Quan and garnering strong reviews, American Born Chinese could not attract a large enough audience and did...
- 1/5/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Father son relationships are already difficult, especially during the teenage years, but what happens when your dad is a mythological Monkey King? One of the storylines of American Born Chinese follows Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), the son of Sun WuKong (Daniel Wu), and his rebellion from his father. When Wei-Chen runs from his father and arrives on earth, he meets Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a Chinese-American teen who becomes his friend after they're introduced at school.
- 6/15/2023
- by Therese Lacson
- Collider.com
What does it take to translate a graphic novel like American Born Chinese into a full television series? The 2009 Eisner Award-winning graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang underwent quite a transformation before its debut on Disney+. The television series American Born Chinese follows the story of Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a Chinese-American teenager who is struggling with his own identity. When he is introduced to Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), an exchange student, his life is turned upside down at the reveal that Wei-Chen is more than he appears.
- 6/14/2023
- by Therese Lacson
- Collider.com
From her roles in Hong Kong action films in the 90s to appearing in everything from Marvel to Star Trek, Michelle Yeoh has made a name for herself as an international actor. She recently appeared in American Born Chinese as the fictional version of the Bodhisattva and Chinese mythological goddess Guanyin. The series is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, following the story of an American teenager named Jin Wang (Ben Wang) and what happens when he meets Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), his new classmate who turns out to be the son of the legendary Monkey King Sun Wukong (Daniel Wu).
- 6/10/2023
- by Therese Lacson
- Collider.com
American Born Chinese is an adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel of the same name in 2006. The series follows American teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang) who hopes to improve his social life which he feels is derailed by the arrival of a new foreign student, Wei-Chen Sun (Jimmy Liu). However, Jin learns that Wei-Chen is the son of the legendary Monkey King (Daniel Wu), Sun Wukong, and is on a quest to find the Fourth Scroll which will stop the Bull Demon (Leonard Wu). Wei-Chen enlists Jin’s help while Jin endures his own trials of self-discovery.
- 6/5/2023
- by Stanley Cliche
- Collider.com
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for American Born Chinese Season 1.American Born Chinese wraps up its first season with an epic battle that leads to new revelations and leaves an aftermath that can be cleared up in a second season. American Born Chinese is a series adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s 2006 graphic novel of the same name. The series is the story of Jin Wang (Ben Wang), an American teenager whose hopes for improving his social life are derailed by the arrival of a new foreign student, Wei-Chen Sun (Jimmy Liu). However, as Jin gets to know Wei-Chen more, he finds out that the new kid is the son of Sun Wukong (Daniel Wu), the legendary Monkey King. Wei-Chen is on a quest to find the Fourth Scroll which will stop the Bull Demon (Leonard Wu) and enlists Jin’s help, while Jin endures his own trials and...
- 6/3/2023
- by Stanley Cliche
- Collider.com
The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of American Born Chinese, now streaming on Disney+.
As Season 1 of American Born Chinese proceeds, Jin Wang is faced with a shocking truth regarding his destiny. As much as Jin wants to fit into white America, the high schooler discovers that, amid all that self-loathing, he's a mystical weapon. It's due to Wei-Chen, the Monkey King's son, coming to Earth to find tools to defend Heaven.
While Jin is the focal point for most scenes, Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu) is the sentimental heartbeat of the story. His actions educate Jin about love and embracing one's identity, carving out a most nuanced brotherhood. In the process, as Wei-Chen infiltrates life with the common folk, his role remixes what the Marvel Cinematic Universe did with Thor. However, American Born Chinese improves it significantly by making Wei-Chen more selfless.
Related: Disney's American Born Chinese Features Dragon Ball, DC...
As Season 1 of American Born Chinese proceeds, Jin Wang is faced with a shocking truth regarding his destiny. As much as Jin wants to fit into white America, the high schooler discovers that, amid all that self-loathing, he's a mystical weapon. It's due to Wei-Chen, the Monkey King's son, coming to Earth to find tools to defend Heaven.
While Jin is the focal point for most scenes, Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu) is the sentimental heartbeat of the story. His actions educate Jin about love and embracing one's identity, carving out a most nuanced brotherhood. In the process, as Wei-Chen infiltrates life with the common folk, his role remixes what the Marvel Cinematic Universe did with Thor. However, American Born Chinese improves it significantly by making Wei-Chen more selfless.
Related: Disney's American Born Chinese Features Dragon Ball, DC...
- 6/1/2023
- by Renaldo Matadeen
- Comic Book Resources
Gene Luen Yang's beloved mix of coming-of-age themes with magical adventure finally makes its way to the screen with American Born Chinese. The Disney+ series centers on teenager Jin Wang, who finds himself pulled into the fight to prevent an uprising to bring down Heaven. He teams up with the son of the legendary Sun Wukong, otherwise known as the Monkey King, and the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin.
Ben Wang leads the ensemble cast of American Born Chinese alongside Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Ke Huy Quan, Jimmy Liu, Sydney Taylor, Daniel Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Leonard Wu, and Ronny Chieng. Tapping into the graphic novel's themes of racial identity through a timely modern lens and pairing it with powerful performances and fantastical action, the series is an entertaining ride for young and older audiences alike.
Related: American Born Chinese Ending Explained
In honor of the show's acclaimed premiere on...
Ben Wang leads the ensemble cast of American Born Chinese alongside Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Ke Huy Quan, Jimmy Liu, Sydney Taylor, Daniel Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Leonard Wu, and Ronny Chieng. Tapping into the graphic novel's themes of racial identity through a timely modern lens and pairing it with powerful performances and fantastical action, the series is an entertaining ride for young and older audiences alike.
Related: American Born Chinese Ending Explained
In honor of the show's acclaimed premiere on...
- 5/30/2023
- by Grant Hermanns
- ScreenRant
The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of American Born Chinese, now streaming on Disney+.
Gene Luen Yang's original graphic novel American Born Chinese follows three different characters: Jin Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants who struggles to fit in at his middle school; Danny, an "all-American" sixteen-year-old embarrassed by his own immigrant cousin; and Sun Wukong the Monkey King in an adaptation of the classic novel Journey to the West. By the novel's end, the three characters come together to tell one complete tale of ostracization, self-loathing, coming-of-age and forgiveness.
Disney+'s adaptation of the novel streamlines the story into one ongoing narrative, focusing primarily on Jin Wang (Ben Wang) as his attempts at fitting in at high school are interrupted when his new friend Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu) enlists his help to stop a mystical war brewing between Chinese mythological figures -- including Sun Wukong (Daniel Wu), Wei-Chen's father.
Gene Luen Yang's original graphic novel American Born Chinese follows three different characters: Jin Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants who struggles to fit in at his middle school; Danny, an "all-American" sixteen-year-old embarrassed by his own immigrant cousin; and Sun Wukong the Monkey King in an adaptation of the classic novel Journey to the West. By the novel's end, the three characters come together to tell one complete tale of ostracization, self-loathing, coming-of-age and forgiveness.
Disney+'s adaptation of the novel streamlines the story into one ongoing narrative, focusing primarily on Jin Wang (Ben Wang) as his attempts at fitting in at high school are interrupted when his new friend Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu) enlists his help to stop a mystical war brewing between Chinese mythological figures -- including Sun Wukong (Daniel Wu), Wei-Chen's father.
- 5/28/2023
- by Morgan Shaunette
- Comic Book Resources
The following article contains Spoilers for American Born Chinese season 1.
The ending of Disney Plus original series American Born Chinese season 1 left more questions than answers and set the stage for a potential season 2. Developed for Disney Plus by Kelvin Yu and based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, the story centers on a Chinese American high schooler named Jin who finds himself in the middle of a battle between ancient Chinese gods. Brilliantly incorporating elements of comic book action with classic coming-of-age tropes, American Born Chinese is unique because it includes Asian American cultural heritage and explores specific themes regarding this community.
American Born Chinese season 1 garnered high praise from critics (via Rotten Tomatoes), and offered a much more diverse series than the usual fare on Disney Plus. Even outside its strong thematic elements, the stellar cast of American Born Chinese was a huge draw, and the...
The ending of Disney Plus original series American Born Chinese season 1 left more questions than answers and set the stage for a potential season 2. Developed for Disney Plus by Kelvin Yu and based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, the story centers on a Chinese American high schooler named Jin who finds himself in the middle of a battle between ancient Chinese gods. Brilliantly incorporating elements of comic book action with classic coming-of-age tropes, American Born Chinese is unique because it includes Asian American cultural heritage and explores specific themes regarding this community.
American Born Chinese season 1 garnered high praise from critics (via Rotten Tomatoes), and offered a much more diverse series than the usual fare on Disney Plus. Even outside its strong thematic elements, the stellar cast of American Born Chinese was a huge draw, and the...
- 5/26/2023
- by Dalton Norman
- ScreenRant
American Born Chinese, now streaming on Disney+, is an action comedy series that's packed with as much sweetness as it is sucker punches. Based on Gene Luen Yang's highly-acclaimed 2006 graphic novel of the same name, it takes the coming-of-age story of one introspective teenager and spins it into an epic tale of mythic proportions. Of course, doing so means spinning more plates than it can sometimes handle, but showrunner Kelvin Yu and director Destin Daniel Cretton (who helmed the premiere and finale) keep things on track by combining a very pleasing aesthetic with warmhearted performances by a star-studded cast.
Much of the initial charm and fascination of American Born Chinese comes from its depiction of Heaven, which is filled with iconic figures of Chinese mythology such as the "Monkey King," Sun Wukong (played by Daniel Wu), and appearances by a large chunk of the Everything Everywhere All At Once cast in important roles.
Much of the initial charm and fascination of American Born Chinese comes from its depiction of Heaven, which is filled with iconic figures of Chinese mythology such as the "Monkey King," Sun Wukong (played by Daniel Wu), and appearances by a large chunk of the Everything Everywhere All At Once cast in important roles.
- 5/25/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
The Everything Everywhere All At Once reunion we definitely knew we needed comes in the unexpected form of a coming-of-age series on Disney+ with two teenagers that steal the show and draw us into the world of the Jade Empire, but also simply into the life of a young boy who’s finding himself. I know it sounds slightly cringy; on the contrary, the show is self-aware, funny, and highly entertaining. As someone who hasn’t read the legendary graphic novel the show is based on, I’m intrigued enough to stop writing this review and spend my weekend binge-reading the source material. American Born Chinese, or “ABC,” tells the story of a “regular guy,” Jin Wang, as he falls into a swirl of celestial civil war while simultaneously going through puberty (ouch). If Beef was A24’s answer for impeccable representation, Disney+ approaches the subject with a family-viewing experience...
- 5/25/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Chinese folklore gets a Disney spin in “American Born Chinese,” an eight-episode series created by Kelvin Yu, which landed on Disney+ on Wednesday. An adaptation of the 2006 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, the series centers on Bay Area teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang), who becomes entangled in a fantastical quest after a new classmate, Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), reveals himself to be the son of the Monkey King and recruits Jin to help him search for the Fourth Scroll.
Featuring an all-star cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Chin Han, Yann Yann Yeo and Sydney Taylor, “American Born Chinese” recontextualizes ancient history for modern audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the original stories, bringing together the talents of some of the most prominent Asian actors, writers and directors in entertainment.
Yeoh, the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” star who recently made history by becoming the first...
Featuring an all-star cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Chin Han, Yann Yann Yeo and Sydney Taylor, “American Born Chinese” recontextualizes ancient history for modern audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the original stories, bringing together the talents of some of the most prominent Asian actors, writers and directors in entertainment.
Yeoh, the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” star who recently made history by becoming the first...
- 5/24/2023
- by Rachel Seo
- Variety Film + TV
American Born Chinese is now streaming on Disney+, and season 1 skillfully takes audiences through young Jin's (Ben Wang) hero journey while also introducing them to iconic figures from Chinese mythology. Jin's cautious way of life is thrown into chaos when he meets transfer student Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), whose overconfidence stems from his heritage as the son of the Monkey King. The latter, believing that Jin holds the key to saving Heaven, drags his friend into a world of powerful gods and destined missions — but all Jin wants is to ask out new girl Amelia (Sydney Taylor).
Though the series is based on Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel of the same name, American Born Chinese also borrows many characters and elements from the classic novel Journey to the West. Kelvin Yu serves as showrunner with an ensemble cast of gods that includes several actors from Everything Everywhere All At Once,...
Though the series is based on Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel of the same name, American Born Chinese also borrows many characters and elements from the classic novel Journey to the West. Kelvin Yu serves as showrunner with an ensemble cast of gods that includes several actors from Everything Everywhere All At Once,...
- 5/24/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
American Born Chinese has finally premiered on Disney+ after much anticipation, introducing audiences to reluctant hero Jin (played by Ben Wang) and his overconfident new friend Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu). The former is dragged into the world of Chinese mythology, which comes to life before his eyes thanks to the latter's dogged mission to save his homeland. The series is based on the acclaimed graphic novel Gene Luen Yang, and the premiere and finale have the distinction of being directed by Shang Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton, who sets a high bar.
Jin's all-too-cautious approach to the world around him was clearly passed down to him by his father Simon (played by Mortal Kombat star Chin Han), who balks at the thought of asking for a promotion at work. Such reticence greatly tries his wife Christine's (played by Yeo Yann Yann) patience, as she struggles to make her husband and son see...
Jin's all-too-cautious approach to the world around him was clearly passed down to him by his father Simon (played by Mortal Kombat star Chin Han), who balks at the thought of asking for a promotion at work. Such reticence greatly tries his wife Christine's (played by Yeo Yann Yann) patience, as she struggles to make her husband and son see...
- 5/24/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
It’s hard to pin down the identity of “American Born Chinese,” the new live action adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s acclaimed graphic novel of the same name from creator Kelvin Yu. Is it a fantasy epic of warring ancient gods? A modern-day high school romp about a second generation Chinese American teenager trying desperately to fit in? A tender examination of multigenerational trauma and the scars that can unwittingly be passed on from parents to children?
The answer is all of the above and, as you may expect, it comes with mixed results. At its best, “American Born Chinese” is a delightful and refreshing exploration of diasporic identity, a thrilling martial arts fantasy and a heartwarming tale of family and friendship. However, the series’ disparate storytelling styles don’t often blend as seamlessly as we might like, making the whole show just a bit less effective than the sum of its parts.
The answer is all of the above and, as you may expect, it comes with mixed results. At its best, “American Born Chinese” is a delightful and refreshing exploration of diasporic identity, a thrilling martial arts fantasy and a heartwarming tale of family and friendship. However, the series’ disparate storytelling styles don’t often blend as seamlessly as we might like, making the whole show just a bit less effective than the sum of its parts.
- 5/24/2023
- by Lauren Thoman
- The Wrap
If your child read the incredibly popular graphic novel “American Born Chinese” in school, they’ve likely been anticipating this release for quite some time. The live-action adaptation of “American Born Chinese” debuts on Disney+ on Wednesday, May 24. It follows Jin Wang, the son of Chinese immigrants whose life changes forever when he meets Wei-Chen, an exchange student with an incredible secret. You can watch American Born Chinese: Season 1 with a subscription to Disney+.
How to Watch ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Where: Disney+ Stream: Watch with a subscription to Disney+. Sign Up Now$7.99+ / month disneyplus.com
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About ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he...
How to Watch ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Where: Disney+ Stream: Watch with a subscription to Disney+. Sign Up Now$7.99+ / month disneyplus.com
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About ‘American Born Chinese’ Series Premiere
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he...
- 5/24/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
American Born Chinese makes its triumphant debut on Disney+ this week, where it will welcome some of the most famous figures in Chinese mythology to Western television. Based on Gene Luen Yang's acclaimed graphic novel of the same name and boasting episodes directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang Chi), the show centers on a mild-mannered high schooler named Jin (Ben Wang) who reluctantly befriends the new transfer student Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), and thus stumbles into the latter's secret world of gods and quests.
While the tentative friends are the heroes of American Born Chinese, the series also introduces audiences to iconic characters from Chinese lore — fittingly played by titans of the film and television industry. Chief among them is Daniel Wu as Sun Wukong, Wei-Chen's father and a god known as the Monkey King. He is joined by several cast members of Everything Everywhere All At Once, such as...
While the tentative friends are the heroes of American Born Chinese, the series also introduces audiences to iconic characters from Chinese lore — fittingly played by titans of the film and television industry. Chief among them is Daniel Wu as Sun Wukong, Wei-Chen's father and a god known as the Monkey King. He is joined by several cast members of Everything Everywhere All At Once, such as...
- 5/23/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
Based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese follows Jin [Ben Wang], a regular high school student who loves comic books and manga. His popularity among his peers, however, is virtually non-existent. Jin grapples with his identity and what it means to be both Chinese and American. Adding to the trials and tribulations of teenage life, Jin gets tasked with showing the new Taiwanese exchange transfer, Wei-Chen [Jimmy Liu], around.
Despite Wei-Chen's social awkwardness, the two eventually bond and become friends -- but there's more to Wei-Chen than meets the eye. As it turns out, he's the son of Sun Wukong [Daniel Wu] and on Earth to prevent a coup by his father's enemy, the Bull Demon [Leonard Wu]. Jin soon finds himself pulled into a world of clashing forces as mythological figures go to war.
Ben Wang and Daniel Wu spoke with Cbr about culture clash,...
Despite Wei-Chen's social awkwardness, the two eventually bond and become friends -- but there's more to Wei-Chen than meets the eye. As it turns out, he's the son of Sun Wukong [Daniel Wu] and on Earth to prevent a coup by his father's enemy, the Bull Demon [Leonard Wu]. Jin soon finds himself pulled into a world of clashing forces as mythological figures go to war.
Ben Wang and Daniel Wu spoke with Cbr about culture clash,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Bryan Cairns
- Comic Book Resources
American Born Chinese, which premieres May 24 on Disney+, is a sweet and stunning series that throws an awkward high schooler into the mystical world of Chinese gods. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel Gene Luen Yang and directed by Shang Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton, the new show follows the meek Jin, who is afraid to stand up for himself and doesn't know where he belongs. When he reluctantly befriends the new transfer student Wei-Chen, he learns more than he ever imagined possible about himself and his heritage.
The young cast consists of Ben Wang as unwitting hero Jin, Jimmy Liu as his ultra-confident cohort Wei-Chen, and Sydney Taylor as Jin's school crush Amelia. Though American Born Chinese stands on its own as a charming coming-of-age tale, the Disney+ series gets a star-studded boost from the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and...
The young cast consists of Ben Wang as unwitting hero Jin, Jimmy Liu as his ultra-confident cohort Wei-Chen, and Sydney Taylor as Jin's school crush Amelia. Though American Born Chinese stands on its own as a charming coming-of-age tale, the Disney+ series gets a star-studded boost from the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and...
- 5/22/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
Hollywood has had considerable feats of Asian representation this year: “Everything Everywhere All at Once’s” historic Oscar wins, Netflix’s “Beef” and, on May 24, “American Born Chinese.”
However, despite the nuanced portrayal of the Asian American identity within the phantasmagorical world of Chinese mythology, Ke Huy Quan was hesitant about joining the series’ Asian-led ensemble.
“I remember when I first heard about this character when I was offered the role, it scared the hell out of me. In fact, I actually passed on it because I told our creative team that this is the type of portrayal that we do not want to see in 2023,” Quan said during a post-screening Q&a at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night.
Quan plays Freddy Wong, a gawky fictional character from the ‘90s sitcom “Beyond Repair” who embodies several stereotypical Asian tropes.
“After having a creative conversation with them and knowing that,...
However, despite the nuanced portrayal of the Asian American identity within the phantasmagorical world of Chinese mythology, Ke Huy Quan was hesitant about joining the series’ Asian-led ensemble.
“I remember when I first heard about this character when I was offered the role, it scared the hell out of me. In fact, I actually passed on it because I told our creative team that this is the type of portrayal that we do not want to see in 2023,” Quan said during a post-screening Q&a at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night.
Quan plays Freddy Wong, a gawky fictional character from the ‘90s sitcom “Beyond Repair” who embodies several stereotypical Asian tropes.
“After having a creative conversation with them and knowing that,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
What do you get when you take the incredible cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once, team them up with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton as a mythical goddess, and an allegorical journey of identity and acceptance.
The story here centres on Jin Wang (played by Ben Wang) – a teenager who’s awkwardly prompted to look after Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), a Chinese exchange student who arrives at his school. But, there’s more to Wei-Chen than meets the eye, and soon all kinds of hell breaks loose – with our world colliding against Chinese folklore, and the kids dispatched to set everything right. Cue martial arts face-offs, wire-fu action, and mythical entities entering the story.
There’s an astonishing cast for this one – not only is it reuniting Everything Everywhere stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, starting from 24 May.
The story here centres on Jin Wang (played by Ben Wang) – a teenager who’s awkwardly prompted to look after Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), a Chinese exchange student who arrives at his school. But, there’s more to Wei-Chen than meets the eye, and soon all kinds of hell breaks loose – with our world colliding against Chinese folklore, and the kids dispatched to set everything right. Cue martial arts face-offs, wire-fu action, and mythical entities entering the story.
There’s an astonishing cast for this one – not only is it reuniting Everything Everywhere stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, starting from 24 May.
- 4/21/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - TV
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