Now here’s an appetizing feat…
Director Wen Muye’s latest film, Once Upon A Time In The Middle East, had a hugely successful theatrical run in China last month. Well Go USA is now on par to release the film theatrically on October 9 after acquiring the film for North America.
The official trailer is now online as well, following the story of a philanthropic chef whose culinary enterprises in a fictional Middle Eastern city finds him enveloped in war and devastation. The visuals alone here implore me to believe this film couldn’t have come at a better time, much like several other films dealing in concurrent and otherwise similar subject matter.
Peep the announcement for Once Upon A Time In The Middle East below, along with a trailer and gallery of slides below:
ALLEN, TEXAS (Sept. 18, 2026) — Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to the Chinese war drama ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wen Muye.
The acquisition follows the film’s strong theatrical performance in China, where it has grossed more than US$318 million to date. Well Go USA Entertainment will release the film across North America on October 9, 2026.
One of China’s biggest stars, Shen Teng, leads the film as Xu Fu, a debt-burdened chef who travels to the Middle East in search of a fresh start. Working alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, Xu transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business and an unlikely gathering place for the surrounding community.
When war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered. As the restaurant becomes a refuge for people caught in the conflict, Xu must move beyond his instinct for self-preservation and risk everything to protect the community he has come to call his own.
The film also stars Jiang Qiming, Omar Sherif and Sherif Sobhy, with a special appearance by Aarif Lee. Wen Muye co-wrote the screenplay for the film alongside Lang Qunli and Zhong Wei. Ning Hao serves as executive producer, with Wang Yibing as chief producer and Liu Mingyi as producer.
Wen is known internationally for combining socially relevant themes with accessible, character-driven storytelling. His previous feature DYING TO SURVIVE earned him Best New Director at the Golden Horse Awards and Best Directorial Debut at the Golden Rooster Awards. His credits also include NICE VIEW and the anthology feature MY PEOPLE, MY COUNTRY.
