Once Upon a Time in the Middle East

  • Rated Not Rated
  • 2hr 21m

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Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Muye Wen

Producer:

Muye Wen

Writer:

Qunli Lang, Muye Wen, Wei Zhong

Release Date:

Oct 9, 2026

Runtime:

2hr 21m

Synopsis

Xu Fu worked as head chef of a Chinese restaurant in Middle East, running the Dragon Restaurant with manager Ma Junsheng.

Cast

  • Teng Shen
  • Qiming Jiang
  • Peter Daniel Adams
  • Barret Coates
  • John F. Cruz
  • Jason Paul Field
  • Darren Grosvenor
  • Tanner Hagen
  • Michael Koltes
  • Aarif Lee
Moviegoers are saying
Audiences are moved by Chef Xu Fu's restaurant in a war-torn Iraqi city, where a simple meal becomes the last warm thing standing amid the chaos of the 2003 invasion. Most reviewers praise the film's refusal to hand out 'hero' and 'terrorist' labels, though a few argue its emotional focus stays on the Chinese outsider rather than the locals. Reactions cluster around a shared sense that the film is bleak, sincere, and quietly devastating, with one viewer calling the fried-egg ending the most heartbreaking image of the year.
Top Mentions
Tear-Jerker
Heart-Pounding
Bittersweet-Feast
Morally-Gray
Anti-Hero-Free
Edge-of-Your-Seat
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews

Letterboxd User Reviews

4.0
5.7K
1.3K
2.0K
RATINGS 83 FANS
4.0
  • Aug 29, 2026

    The United States of America has always been the biggest terrorist organization in the world

    313 Likes
    lucassb17
    lucassb17
    Aug 12, 2026

    To be fair, I could not imagine a Chinese film might have a more human and compassionate touch on the Iraq war than any American film focusing on the same topic since while the US was one side of the conflict with access to many historical accounts on the topic from both…

    220 Likes
    Farshad Jaberzade
    Farshad Jaberzade
    Sep 6, 2026

    That cheerful cover really fooled me

    152 Likes
    daria beskorsaia
    daria beskorsaia
  •
    Oct 10, 2026

    Türüne bakmadan körü körüne başladım. Başlamadan önce banner ve postere baktığımdq cıvıl cıvıl bir film bekliyordum ama tam tersi oldu. Sonlara doğru abdest alayım kafama sıkın dedirtti. Varya anoraya 5 oscar veren akademi şu filme 1 oscarı çok görürse anasnı skerm öyle…

    59 Likes
    Bugra
    Bugra
    Oct 14, 2026

    China once again makes an interesting contribution to anti-war cinema with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, blending Chinese culinary culture with the horrors of the US invasion of Iraq. Through Xu Fu, a chef trying to pay off his debts and keep his restaurant running,…

    55 Likes
    parzival!
    parzival!
    Oct 11, 2026

    84/100.  A well cooked anti war drama dares to stay neutral. Once upon a time in Middle East isn’t one among your usual war dramas that either glorify the war or takes stance with the ones being oppressed. Instead it goes more deeper and sympathise with the common…

    44 Likes
    krishnaprasatG
    krishnaprasatG
  •
    Oct 9, 2026

    And until you leave  I’ll fry an egg for you  And until you return  I’ll let it stay inside the pan  And pray it won’t burn Until I see you again. ————— I am absolutely heartbroken and cannot put my thoughts into words. It simply shows war, and doesn’t portray any…

    39 Likes
    chefgalblobby
    chefgalblobby
    Sep 12, 2026

    Came in expecting an anti-american propaganda film but this film is far more than that. It is both a heartwarming and tragic tale, showing Chef Xu's endevour to live an honest life, to provide for the orphaned children, and tget back home to his family. The film…

    50 Likes
    piwipanini
    piwipanini
    Aug 16, 2026

    they cooked

    45 Likes
    Noémie
    Noémie

Atom Users Reviews

5.0
2
0
0
0
0
POPULAR TAGS
#greatcast
#surprising

Reviews

  • AM
    Angel Medina
    #surprising
    #mustsee
    #heartpounding

    Everyone needs to watch this movie

    笑杨
    笑奇 杨
    #surprising
    #great

    Went in blind and came out amazed! Strongly recommend! Exceeded my expectations and pushed past standard cliches. It’s an unpredictable, emotional, and gripping ride from start to finish.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When does Once Upon a Time in the Middle East come out in theaters?
October 9, 2026 is the release date.
How long is Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026)?
The movie is 2hr 21min long.
What's Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026) about?
Xu Fu worked as head chef of a Chinese restaurant in Middle East, running the Dragon Restaurant with manager Ma Junsheng.
Who's the cast of Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026)?
  • Teng Shen as Xu Fu
  • Qiming Jiang as Ma Junsheng
  • Peter Daniel Adams as Sentry
  • Barret Coates as Capt. Morgan
  • John F. Cruz as President of United States
  • Jason Paul Field as Peter
  • Darren Grosvenor as News Journalist, VP Dick Cheney
  • Tanner Hagen as Joel Brady
  • Michael Koltes as Olwell
  • Aarif Lee as Tony
Who's the director behind Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026)?
Muye Wen directed Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026).
Who produced Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026)?
Muye Wen produced Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026).
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