Sony Pictures Entertainment'slocal-language production arm Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia (ColumbiaAsia) is to make its first picture in Korea in partnership with Koreanproduction outfit C & Film. The two will produce a Korean-language remakeof David Mamet's 1988 thriller Things Change.

"Local Korean film hasboomed at the box office in these past few years, dramatically increasing itsmarket share," Columbia Asia managing director Barbara Robinson said in astatement. "Our investment in Korea reaffirms our commitment tolocal-language production in Asia and its viability in the worldwidemarket."

Things Change starred Don Ameche and Joe Mantegna in a comicaltake about mistaken identity. It was introduced to Korea as The Third Chance (Je-sam-ui-ki-hoi). "Working in this way with Columbia Asia on ThingsChange is unprecedented in theKorean film industry, marking the first time a major US studio has financed alocal film from the development stage," C & Film chief executiveofficer Chang Yoon-Hyun added. It is also the first time a US major will havecollaborated on a local language picture adapted from the original Englishversion.

Gareth Wigan, vice chairmanof Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group, said in a statement: "We areconfident that as with our success in building other relationships withfilmmakers in Asia, our new collaboration with C & Film in Korea will alsoyield significant results."

Columbia Asia has enjoyedenormous success with its first few pictures such as Big Shot'sFuneral in Hong Kong and the hitthriller Double Vision in Taiwan.