Drishyam gets Hollywood remake with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films

The cult franchise Drishyam is all set to go global after garnering massive success in the Indian and Chinese markets. Producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak announced the Korean remake of the thriller franchise at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, and now they announce the franchise’s new milestone. Panorama Studios has joined hands with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films to make Drishyam in Hollywood, a first for an Indian film!

Gulfstream Pictures, co-founded by Mike Karz and Bill Bindley, have produced the romantic comedy Blended which reunited Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore and the workplace comedy Upgraded starring Camila Mendes, Marisa Tomei & Lena Olin. JOAT Films is founded by Jack Nguyen, a film industry veteran and a former Warner Bros executive supervising the Asia region’s production business, especially market entries into China, Japan, India and Korea during his tenure with WB. JOAT specializes in cross-territorial local language remakes.

Panorama Studios has acquired the international remake rights to Drishyam 1 & 2 from the original producers, Aashirvad Cinemas. Drishyam is being developed in the US and Korea and a development deal is being finalized for a Spanish-language version. In addition, other countries are being considered.

Kumar Mangat Pathak, Chairman and Managing Director, of Panorama Studios, who has acquired the rights to the Drishyam franchise shares, “Drishyam’s clever narrative has a universal appeal and we are keen to celebrate this story with audiences worldwide. We are very happy to collaborate with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films to create this story in English for Hollywood. After Korea and Hollywood, our mission is to produce Drishyam in 10 countries in the next three to five years”.

Producer Abhishek Pathak who also directed Drishyam 2 shares, “We have received immense love from our Indian audiences, who have made the Drishyam franchise a massive success. The strength of Drishyam lies in its story, and we want it to be enjoyed by audiences globally. We are very happy to collaborate with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films, who will take this franchise forward in English for the US and other international Hollywood markets.”

In a joint statement, Mike Karz and Bill Bindley of Gulfstream Pictures share, “We are very happy to collaborate with Panorama Studios and JOAT Films on an English language adaptation of Drishyam. The film is a timeless thriller that has entranced audiences across the globe. We can’t wait to bring the movie to fans here in the U.S.”

Jack Nguyen, founder of JOAT Films, shares, ‘Drishyam has a unique yet enduring story. It combines drama, emotional highs and lows in a riveting cat and mouse tale and our adaptation will undoubtedly keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The story has clearly resonated with audiences worldwide as evidenced by the numerous remakes it has spawned. Gulfstream, Panorama and JOAT are excited to have the opportunity to present our take on this cleverly crafted thriller to audiences globally.”

While the Korean and English versions are in the making, the remake of the Malayalam film has had a successful run in various languages, including Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sinhala and Chinese.