Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Does Not Get John Carpenter’s Blessing for Big Trouble in Little China Remake.

John Carpenter has hit out at Dwayne Johnson’s plans for a Big Trouble In Little China follow-up fronted by WWE icon The Rock. The filmmaker hit out at the project during a round table discussion with CinemaBlend, set up to promote the latest Halloween film.

For those interested, here’s everything UAMC currently knows about this Big Trouble in LIttle China remake.

The Return of Jack Burton

Asked about the film, which is rumoured to be a sequel rather than a remake let rip: “They want a movie with Dwayne Johnson. That’s what they want. So they just picked that title. They don’t give a shit about me and my movie. That movie wasn’t a success.“



Carpenter’s original version of Big Trouble in Little China starred Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall and was released back in 1986. A box office bomb upon release, the film has garnered a cult following in the years since and enjoyed a second-life when released on VHS.

The Rock is in Big Trouble

The film remains something of a sore point for Carpenter though, who was left disillusioned with Hollywood after the studio behind the project dropped support for the film and struggled to effectively market the sci-fi martial arts adventure comedy.

“The experience [of Big Trouble] was the reason I stopped making movies for the Hollywood studios. I won’t work for them again,” Carpenter told Starlog [via ComixAsylum].

“I think Big Trouble is a wonderful film, and I’m very proud of it. But the reception it received, and the reasons for that reception, were too much for me to deal with. I’m too old for that sort of bullshit.”

John Carpenter’s Ultimate Action Legacy

Returning to the realm of independent cinema, Carpenter went on to deliver one of his most inspired films to date, the 1988 sci-fi action epic They Live starring ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper – which you can read more about here!

Big Trouble in Little China may not have got the recognition it deserved on initial release, but it certainly helped cement Carpenter’s status as one of the best directors of the 1980s and paved the way for one of the standout action movies of the decade.



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