Indonesia to adapt “Descendants of the Sun” into a film

Hanung Bramantyo does not want to remake “Descendants of the Sun.” He wants to bring its central tension into Indonesia.

The Indonesian director said the South Korean drama's 16 episodes run for more than 60 hours, making a direct remake impractical. Instead, the film will be a free adaptation localized to Indonesia.

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This is not a remake, it is a free adaptation that has to be localized

Hanung chose the project because he was drawn to the relationship between medicine and the military, two professions with different responsibilities and beliefs. Doctors are expected to save lives, while military personnel must protect the country's safety, he said.

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The relationship between two worlds, two different professions and two different beliefs is very interesting to me

The Indonesian film will also move the story's conflict closer to local life. Rather than taking its two central figures into a conflict in another country, Hanung said he wants to place them in an area experiencing conflict and dealing with problems involving Indonesia. The project will localize the love story between two people with different ideologies.

At the Ideafest 2026 discussion “Descendants of the Sun, Localized: When Global Stories Find Local Souls,” held at the Jakarta International Convention Center on Saturday, Hanung presented a 100-second teaser. Reza Rahadian and Dian Sastrowardoyo appear as the film's leading performers.

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Instead of taking these two agents into a conflict in another country, I want to enter the conflict that exists in Indonesia