‘The Night Manager’ Chinese-Language Remake Expands Cast

The Ink Factory has rounded out the supporting ensemble for its Chinese-language “The Night Manager” series, naming six cast members and two special appearances as the production heads into its late 2026 premiere window on Youku. The news was timed to the company’s presence at FilMart in Hong Kong this week.

The previously announced leads – Eddie Peng and Sean Lau as protagonist Jonathan Chan and arms tycoon Richard Kwok, Isabella Leong as Kwok’s girlfriend Jed Cheung, and Carman Lee as ICAC investigator Angela Fok – are now joined by Michael Dao, Frederick Lee, George Au, Alan Luk, Justin Chu and Elizabeth Tang in supporting roles, with Carl Ng and Amy Lo making special appearances.

Among the more notable pieces of casting is Dao, whose character Peter Kong is a newly written role – Kwok’s uncle – that has no direct equivalent in le Carré’s source novel. Dao and Lau trained together at TVB’s Artiste Training Class in 1983, and despite both becoming fixtures of Hong Kong screen culture in the decades since, the two have not appeared together on screen in close to 35 years.

Malaysian actor Frederick Lee steps into the role of Ken Lai, Kwok’s security chief – the equivalent of Lance “Corky” Corkoran in the novel. Lee won Best Actor at the 2024 Asian Television Awards for his work on “Taiwan Crime Stories.” George Au, fresh off his role in “Left on Read,” plays Franco, another original creation, positioned as Ken Lai’s son and a trusted figure within Kwok’s orbit.

The two special appearances carry their own interest. Amy Lo, whose background spans Cantonese and Costa Rican heritage, takes on Ah Bo, a woman from Jonathan Chan’s past whose reappearance in his life sets the central undercover operation in motion. Alongside her screen work, Lo has been building a music career, releasing four singles and picking up several awards since her debut last year. Carl Ng – whose father is Hong Kong comedy institution Richard Ng – plays Harry Garrigan, an Irish intelligence operative known as “Happy Joe,” whose personal history with Jonathan Chan becomes a source of friction throughout the series. Both Lo and Ng have previously worked with lead Peng.

Completing the ICAC unit surrounding Carman Lee’s character are Alan Luk as Man Tai, Justin Chu as Ricky, and Elizabeth Tang as Bai Hui. Tang has been drawing awards attention of late, earning Best Supporting Actress nominations at both the Golden Horse Awards and the upcoming Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in “Girlfriends.”

Simon Cornwell and Stephen Cornwell, founders and co-CEOs of The Ink Factory, said the project had allowed them to serve talent at different stages of their careers. “This adaptation of ‘The Night Manager’ – like the original U.K. version – is a wonderful vehicle both for celebrated established acting talent, as well as for exciting rising stars, to get their teeth into the layered, complex characters that populate le Carré’s novel,” they said. “We’ve also had the joy of creating new roles in the spirit of le Carré and the world of the original, adding new dimensions and fresh angles to this bold and original retelling of the classic story.”

Alistair Jennings, senior VP of APAC sales and partnerships at Fifth Season, which holds global sales rights outside mainland China, pointed to the enduring commercial appeal of the IP. “Since its TV premiere 10 years ago, ‘The Night Manager’ has continued to excite and delight fans all over the world,” he said. “This new Chinese-language adaptation is set against the backdrop of Thailand, Macau and Hong Kong and brings together some of Asia’s most beloved talent from across the region. Together with our partners at The Ink Factory and 127 Wall Productions, we are proud to bring this premium and highly authentic pan Asian production to life – and to Hong Kong’s International Film & TV Market (FilMart) this week.”

The series was shot across Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi and Phuket, transposing le Carré’s espionage framework into a contemporary Asian setting. Hong Kong director Kelvin KinLong Chan (“Hand Rolled Cigarette”) leads the production, working from scripts by Cheung Feifan and He Liangyu, both veterans of the “Cold War 1994” franchise. Donghui Wang heads the executive producing team alongside producer Julia Song and executive producer Chris Cornwell. Joe Tsai and Arthur Wang executive produce for co-production partner 127 Wall Productions.

Further executive producers include Simon Cornwell, Stephen Cornwell, Michele Wolkoff and Tessa Inkelaar for The Ink Factory; Clare Cornwell for the John le Carré estate; Susanne Bier; Stephen Garrett for Character 7; David Farr; and William B. Johnson for Demarest Films.