First Trailer for Hong Kong Remake of Linklater’s ‘Tape’ with 3 Friends
by Alex Billington
July 23, 2025
Source: YouTube
“So tell me again what happened?” “I was trying to do the right thing.” Phoenix Waters Productions and Showalker UK have debuted an official trailer for the Hong Kong re-imagining of the Linklater film Tape, set for a UK release in cinemas this August. This film premiered last year and recently screened at the 2025 Raindance Film Festival last month. When three former classmates reunite after 15 years, a buried secret resurfaces forcing them to confront the past, each other, and the silence around accountability. Directed by Bizhan Tong, co-written with original playwright Stephen Belber, the film features gripping performances from Selena Lee, Kenny Kwan, and Adam Pak, exploring power, accountability, and the painful echoes of unresolved trauma. It’s a remake of the 2001 film also titled Tape directed by Richard Linklater, which originally premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. This new HK remake is also executive produced by Linklater. Sadly there’s no US release date set yet, as this is only the UK trailer for its release there soon. Hopefully it’ll hit theaters in the US by the end of this year. Looks like a smart new take on this Tape script.
Here’s the official UK trailer (+ poster) for Bizhan Tong’s film Tape, direct from Tong’s YouTube:
“Tape is a love letter to Hong Kong cinema, crafted through a Western lens but rooted in Eastern heart. This release is not just about showcasing a bold reinterpretation of a Linklater classic but about proving that intimate, dialogue-driven stories still have a place on the big screen, and that cross-cultural filmmaking can bring new layers of meaning to familiar material.” –Director Bizhan Tong
Set in modern-day Hong Kong, Tape follows three former high school friends whose seemingly casual reunion takes a dark and unexpected turn. 15 years after graduation, Wing – a drifting former romantic – invites his old friend Jon, now a rising filmmaker, to reconnect on the eve of Jon’s big film festival debut. But the atmosphere quickly shifts as secrets from their past resurface particularly concerning Amy, the ex-girlfriend they both share a complicated history with. As tensions mount and long-suppressed memories clash with the need for closure, what begins as a nostalgic evening spirals into a harrowing confrontation that forces all three to face the truth – and the lies – they’ve been living with. Tape, also known as 錄影歹 in Cantonese, is directed by Hong Kong writer / producer / filmmaker Bizhan Tong, director of the films Mute, The Escort, The Audition, and the series “The Queen of News” previously. The screenplay is by Selena Lee, Bonnie Lo, Bizhan Tong; co-written with original playwright Stephen Belber. Produced by Selena Lee & Bizhan Tong. This first premiered at the 2024 Asian Film Festival Barcelona last year. Showalker UK debuts Tong’s Tape film in UK cinemas starting on August 22nd, 2025. No US release date is set yet. Look good?