Sam Worthington, David Duchovny star in Midi Z's The Exiles
Taiwan-based Myanmar filmmaker Midi Z has revealed that his next feature, The Exiles, starring Sam Worthington, David Duchovny and Ke-Xi Wu, draws on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness as a contemporary original story. The U.S.-Taiwan co-production was filmed entirely in Taiwan and is now in early post-production, with a hoped-for 2027 release.
Key Takeaways
- Midi Z says The Exiles, starring Sam Worthington, David Duchovny and Ke-Xi Wu, draws on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
- The film is an original contemporary story inspired in part by a real criminal case in Southeast Asia.
- The U.S.-Taiwan co-production was shot entirely in Taiwan, with about 90% of the dialogue in English.
- The project has entered early post-production, and Midi Z hopes for a 2027 release.
- Midi Z discussed the film while serving on the Malaysia International Film Festival jury.
What is The Exiles, starring Sam Worthington and David Duchovny?
According to Variety, Midi Z's next feature reimagines themes from Conrad's classic through a new fictional story rather than a straight adaptation.
The director said the project is inspired in part by a real criminal case in Southeast Asia. It continues his career-long focus on identity, migration and displacement, ideas he has explored across films made in different countries.
While Francis Ford Coppola famously adapted Conrad into Apocalypse Now, Midi Z told Variety his interpretation moves in a different direction and tells an original story.
Who is directing the Sam Worthington David Duchovny project?
Midi Z is a Taiwan-based Myanmar filmmaker who never attended film school and learned cinema through reviews, books and other available resources. A defining break came when he was selected for the inaugural Golden Horse Film Academy in 2009.
There he was mentored by Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien, who selected his screenplay and joined location scouts in New Taipei City for early films about Myanmar. Hou urged him to return and make films about his homeland, advice Midi Z said shaped the past decade and a half of his work.
He spoke with Variety at the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), where he served as a jury member 15 years after his directorial debut. Fans tracking cast news can also follow more updates in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
When will The Exiles be released?
The Exiles is a U.S.-Taiwan co-production filmed entirely in Taiwan. Roughly 90% of the dialogue is in English, Variety reported.
The film has entered early post-production. Midi Z hopes to release it in 2027. Plot specifics beyond the Conrad inspiration and Southeast Asia case link were not detailed in the exclusive interview.
Why does Midi Z's approach matter for this cast?
Pairing international stars Sam Worthington and David Duchovny with Ke-Xi Wu under a director known for personal, margin-focused Southeast Asian storytelling marks a high-profile next step for Midi Z.
He argued that originality matters more as Asian festivals multiply, calling cinema "half art and half business" and urging filmmakers to protect their own voice rather than chase mainstream formulas. Looking ahead, he said he hopes to collaborate more closely with filmmakers across Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Thailand.