Jiang Wen in his film "Let the Bullets Fly" [Photo: CFP]

A major Hollywood studio has bought the rights to remake Jiang Wen's latest gangster movie, Let the Bullets Fly (Rang Zidan Fei), Chinese media reported Monday, December 20, 2010, following a record-setting opening weekend of the film.

"It's one of Hollywood's biggest companies," Yan Yunfei, the marketing director of the film, told xxcb.com.cn, but refused to give the company's name.

Jiang Wen has been invited to direct the remake, according to Yan.

"Let the Bullets Fly" is actor-turned-filmmaker Jiang Wen's fourth directorial work. The tensely-paced film revolves around a bloody battle of wits between a bandit and a gangster in a remote town set in 1920s China. Jiang Wen also stars in the film, along with Chow Yun-Fat, Ge You, Carina Lau, Chen Kun and Zhou Yun.

The film has won acclaims for its spellbinding story and entertaining dialogue. However, it has also attracted criticism for its violent scenes.

"Let the Bullets Fly" opened in the Chinese mainland with 13,000 screenings on December 16. Its opening midnight shows grossed at least one million yuan (US$150,000), a new midnight opening record for Chinese-language films.