Benedict Wong, Jabari Banks and Callina Liang to Star in ‘Bad Genius,’ Directed by JC Lee

“Luce” writer JC Lee is set to make his directorial debut with “Bad Genius,” the upcoming English-language remake of the 2017 hit Thai film “Chalard Games Goeng (Bad Genius).”

Picturestart and Picture Perfect Federation are producing the project, which will star Benedict Wong (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”) alongside up-and-coming talent Callina Liang (“Tell Me Everything”) and Jabari Banks (“Bel-Air”). The film is financed by Mallory Edens’ Little Ray Media and will begin production in May.

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The original film was written and directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya and produced by Thai film studio GDH 559 Company Limited. The movie debuted at No. 1 at the Thai box office, quickly becoming the country’s highest-grossing Thai film of the year and, ultimately, the most internationally successful Thai film ever.

In addition to directing the remake, Lee reteams with “Luce” filmmaker Julius Onah to pen the script for “Bad Genius.” Their adaptation is described as “a high-stakes, high-octane thriller about a diverse group of young people who team up to fight the system of injustice and inequity and take down the rigged academic institutions around them.”

“I am so excited to share a new take on what was already a wildly successful and remarkable film,” stated Lee. “I can’t wait to work with this fantastic, innovative group of artists, drawing on our diverse array of real world experiences to make a film as thrilling and fun as the original.”

“Bad Genius” will be produced by Erik Feig and Jessica Switch via the Picturestart banner along with Patrick Wachsberger and Ashley Stern via the Picture Perfect Federation banner, with Mallory Edens’ Little Ray Media financing. Executive producers on the project include Edens, Picturestart’s Julia Hammer and Wong.

The feature film has secured top-flight international distribution partners outside of the U.S., including Roadshow Films (in Australia and NZ), Metropolitan (France), Austria Constantin (Germany), Leone (Italy), Gaga (Japan), Sun (Latin America), Nordisk (Scandinavia), Tripictures (Spain), Studio Canal (UK), Searchers (Benelux), Front Row (Middle East) and Unicorn (Eastern Europe).

James McGough and Christina Tajalli negotiated the deal on behalf of Picturestart, while Alan Grodin of Weintraub Tobin negotiated the deal on behalf of Picture Perfect Federation. Andrew Kramer of Loeb & Loeb represents Little Ray Media.

Lee is best known for serving as a producer and writer of “Luce,” which is based on his play of the same name. His additional credits include “The Morning Show,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Looking.” He is represented by CAA, Chris Donnelly at LBI Entertainment and Erik Hyman at Paul Hastings.

Liang is represented by Authentic Talent and Literary Management, Payne Management in the UK and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher; Banks is represented by WME, Frontline Management, and Granderson Des Rochers; and Wong is represented by Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman.

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