A crime caper starring Kelly Marie Tran that is set in the art world is ready to make its mark.
Utopia Circle Collective has acquired North American rights to writer-director Jing Ai Ng’s feature Forge and will launch it theatrically in May, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned. The trailer can be seen below for the film that premiered at SXSW in 2025.
Tran, who is known for her work in the Star Wars franchise, leads a cast that includes Andie Ju (Beef), Brandon Soo Hoo (Tropic Thunder), Edmund Donovan (Civil War), Eva De Dominici (The Cleaning Lady), T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), Jack Falahee (How to Get Away with Murder) and Sonya Walger (Lost).
Forge centers on Miami-based siblings Raymond (Soo Hoo) and Coco Zhang (Ju), who run an art forgery ring and are recruited by a disgraced millionaire to create counterfeit masterpieces for his family’s collection. Meanwhile, FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee (Tran) investigates a string of forgeries in the area.
Ng makes her directorial feature debut with the movie she helmed from her own script. She produces alongside Liz Daering Glass, Gabrielle Cordero and Damian Bao, while Dave A. Liu serves as executive producer.
The film is set for week-long theatrical runs at the Landmark Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles beginning May 15 and at New York’s Quad Cinema starting May 22. More markets will be added in the following weeks.
“Forge is about ambition, identity and the pursuit of something greater,” says Ng. “I was interested in telling a story that lives in moral gray areas, where every choice carries weight, and to explore how we define art, value and authenticity. I’m excited for audiences to step into this world.”
Adds Utopia’s Ryan Kane, “Utopia is thrilled to soon release Forge to theaters nationwide this spring. Jing Ai Ng’s gripping expose into the world of art forgery epitomizes the bold filmmaking that our distribution company was founded upon.”
