Producers behind Red Dawn remake swapped Chinese flags and insignia for North Korean ones for fear of losing out on billion-dollar box office



When it comes to making a multimillion-dollar action blockbuster, an important rule to follow is: do not alienate some 1.3billion potential theatergoers.

At least that is what MGM executives were thinking when they decided to replace the Chinese with North Koreans as the villains in the upcoming remake of the 1984 cult classic Red Dawn.

Producers working on the feature initially had Chinese troops invade the U.S., but they had a change of heart after facing a backlash from a Chinese newspaper and website that caught wind of the project.



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Costly overhaul: MGM spent $1million going frame by frame and digitally altering every Chinese symbol seen on the screen into North Korean (pictured)

Swap: MGM studio had all mentions of China, from flags (pictured) to insignia, changed in post-production to North Korean symbols

Plot: In the film, a group of Americans lead a rebellion against North Koreans who invade the U.S. to help resolve the economic crisis, which they do with brute force

According to DailyFinance.com, the film drew fire from China's largest paper, Global Times, which ran two angry editorials accusing Hollywood of 'demonizing' and 'planting hostile seeds against China,' the Huffington Post reported.



In the original Cold War era film, two Americans played by Charlie Sheen and the late Patrick Swayze lead a rebellion against an invading Soviet army.

In the remake, Thor alum Chris Hemsworth and his ragtag band of mature-looking teenaged relatives and friends lead an insurrection against the Chinese-turned North Korean occupiers who promise to bring economic salvation, but do so with an iron fist.



Leading man: The movie stars Chris Hemsworth, right, best known for his role in Thor, as the leader of the insurrection

Shelved: The Red Dawn remake featuring the Chinese as the villains was ready for release in 2010, left, but the premiere was pushed back after the movie declared bankruptcy due to MGM's financial woes and China's criticism



Costly overhaul: MGM spent $1million going frame by frame and digitally altering every Chinese symbol seen on the screen

The filming of Red Dawn was completed back in 2010, but was shelved for two years after declaring bankruptcy amid financing troubles coupled with a barrage of criticism from the Asian nation which happens to hold about $1.12trillion of U.S. debt.



In an obvious effort to salvage ticket sales in China, which is the fifth largest movie market in the world that has been bringing American filmmakers $1.5billion in profit per year, MGM opted to swap the villains, casting North Koreans in the role of ruthless invaders.

Cult classic: The Original 1984 version of Red Dawn starred Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Charlie Sheen as rebels fighting against Soviet invaders

While the Communist nation is notorious for its nuclear capabilities, Hollywood big wigs evidently figured that it is better to incur the wrath of the pariah of the Far East rather than alienate the region's economic juggernaut.

To that end, the production company had reportedly spent $1million removing every reference to China from the film in post-production, from flags to soldiers’ insignia and propaganda posters on the walls, according to the Los Angeles Times .

While changing Chinese symbols into Korean ones was just a matter of a few - albeit expensive - clicks of the keyboard, the choice of the new baddies raises some important questions: why and how would a nation of 24 million starving people cross the ocean to invade a nation of 313 million well-armed and well-fed Americans?

Actor C. Thomas Howell, who starred in the original Red Dawn, publicly mocked the swap in a recent interview with USA Today .

‘Quite frankly, we all know North Korea cannot afford to invade (itself).How is that going to happen?’ asked Howell. ‘That's already stupid in my book.’

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