'Charlie Chan' Series Lands Tzi Ma, Rae Dawn Chong and Aileen Wu

Mar 16, 2026 5:00pm PT ‘Charlie Chan’ Series Lands Tzi Ma, Rae Dawn Chong and Aileen Wu (EXCLUSIVE) By Naman Ramachandran Plus Icon Naman Ramachandran Latest Japan Pushes for a New Global Stage as Film Frontier Makes Its Debut at Hong Kong Market 26 minutes ago AI Registry to Protect Athlete Likenesses and Digital IP Launched by New Sports-Tech Firm Callandor Group (EXCLUSIVE) 12 hours ago National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham Eyes Bollywood Talent, India Expansion — and Brings Ayesha Dharker Full Circle in ‘The Jungle Book’ 14 hours ago See All Getty Images/Margin Films Tzi Ma, Rae Dawn Chong and Aileen Wu have boarded Canadian television series “Charlie Chan.” Ma, known for “Mulan,” “Kung Fu” and “Interior Chinatown,” will executive produce and star in the title role. Chong, whose credits include “Interview With the Vampire,” “American Crime Story” and “The Color Purple,” will play Detective Joyous Green. Wu (“Alien: Romulus”) will portray Faye Chan, Charlie’s daughter. Related Stories David Ellison Vows CNN Will Operate Independently as Paramount Buys Warner Bros.: 'We Want to Be in the Truth Business' Ana Navarro Goes Uncensored in Podcast Called 'Bleep!' A contemporary reimagining of the iconic character set in Vancouver, Canada, the reboot follows a Hong Kong immigrant who, after retiring from the Vancouver police department in frustration, quietly launches a private investigation agency, taking on cases for the city’s overlooked and forgotten. Quentin Lee and his producing partner Cindy Au Yeung — 2024 Canadian Screen Award winners for “Comedy Invasion” — will produce through their British Columbia–based banner Margin Films. Lee recently wrapped the third season of “Comedy Invasian” and the feature “The Way You Dance,” also starring Ma. Popular on Variety “Our series is a bold and necessary reinvention — a proud reclamation of a complicated legacy,” said Lee and Sager in a joint statement. “By crafting an authentic and modern hero, we are transforming a once-offensive cultural caricature into a complex, dignified protagonist for a new generation.” Chong said she was drawn to the project’s global scope and its BIPOC representation, calling it “smart, quirky and very global.” Ma, meanwhile, spoke to the broader imperative of reclaiming culturally appropriated characters, and described Vancouver as an ideal backdrop given its embrace of multiculturalism. “We have the opportunity to lead the charge,” said Ma, “and provide this so-called ‘day player town’ the opportunity for the world to see the wealth of our Canadian talents.” Creators and showrunners Quentin Lee and Josh Sager will present the package to international buyers at Series Mania Forum in France as part of Telefilm Canada’s Canada Pavilion. The “Charlie Chan” series announcement was made at Hong Kong FilMart. Separately, Lee and Sager will also unveil “The British Detective” at Series Mania Forum, a prospective Canada-U.K. co-production from 2025 International Emmy-winning creator Roland Moore. Set in Victoria, B.C., the police procedural centers on a faded British aristocrat who, after retiring to Vancouver Island, reluctantly teams up with a sharp-witted Chinese-Canadian detective to solve a string of crimes. Moore most recently served as head writer on the British YA series “Fallen.” Jump to Comments David Ellison Vows CNN Will Operate Independently as Paramount Buys Warner Bros.: ‘We Want to Be in the Truth Business’ Tyler Perry Sets Firefighter Series ‘Where There’s Smoke’ at Netflix; Tyler Lepley, Mike Merrill and More to Star ‘Big Mistakes’ Trailer: Dan Levy Stars as an Incompetent Criminal in Netflix Comedy Series Paramount President Jeff Shell Sued for $150 Million Over Alleged PR Contract ‘KPop Demon Hunters 2’ Confirmed by Netflix and Sony: ‘This Is Only the Beginning’ Harry Styles Concert to Stream on Netflix on ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’ Release Weekend JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...