Considering how many of John Carpenter's films have been remade in the past ten years or so, this week's announcement of a new version of "Big Trouble in Little China" starring Dwayne Johnson wasn't quite as much a shock as it might have been.

One person who was surprised to hear the news though appears to be Carpenter himself. The filmmaker was recently asked on his Facebook page (via Bleeding Cool) about the remake.

Carpenter says 20th Century FOX own the rights and "I only know what I read in the papers. I am not involved with it." Asked if he's doing alright in the wake of the news, he simply said "I'm doing fine. I didn't write the original one - no harm, no foul."

"X-Men: First Class" scribes Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz are penning the new take which has The Rock stepping into Kurt Russell's iconic role of Jack Burton, the All-American trucker who gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Carpenter says 20th Century FOX own the rights and "I only know what I read in the papers. I am not involved with it." Asked if he's doing alright in the wake of the news, he simply said "I'm doing fine. I didn't write the original one - no harm, no foul."

Reaction was split last week after it was announced Dwayne Johnson would star in Fox’s remake of Big Trouble in Little China, with many fans of John Carpenter’s 1986 cult classic unhappy about the idea of a new spin on the material. Not that Johnson himself expected anything less.

“I loved reading the reactions from the fans, that they were so polarized – I’m the same way,” the star told EW at Saturday night’s taping of the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards. “My response is: know that I come to the project with nothing but love and respect for the original, which is why we want to bring on John Carpenter.”

Which is, as Johnson said, “your mic drop”: While Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class) are attached to write the Big Trouble in Little China script, Johnson wants Carpenter – who directed the original and co-wrote its score – to have involvement in the remake as well.

“I loved the original when I was younger and I loved the main character – all the characters,” said Johnson, who will fill the role Kurt Russell played in the earlier film. “It felt like if we surrounded ourselves with the right group of people, the right writers who loved the movie too and wanted to honor it, bring on John Carpenter in some capacity … If we did that, then we have a shot at hopefully making something good.”

While the pieces are settling into place, many details – like the story – have yet to be determined. Johnson said these initial stages are “the fun part,” and even suggested that Russell would be brought into the conversations as well.

“Let’s see what feels good, what we can come up with and then go from there,” Johnson said. “And as we write it, if the whole thing starts to stink up, then we thank everybody for their efforts and accept this just couldn’t make it.”

JUNE 13, 2015 5:08pm PT by Ryan Gajewski
John Carpenter Not Excited for Dwayne Johnson's 'Big Trouble' Remake: "Depends on How Much They Pay Me"

The legendary director spoke to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday about whether he would be involved in the new version of the 1986 action film that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is in talks to star in.

"I'm ambivalent about a remake," said Carpenter, who is also known for directing Halloween and Escape From New York. "On the other hand, it depends on how much they pay me."

According to Bleeding Cool, Carpenter took part in a Facebook thread about the remake, saying that he was not involved in the project. He said he was "fine" with the new version because he didn't write the original film, adding: "No harm, no foul."

Screenwriters Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, who have writing credits on Thor and X-Men: First Class, are working on the new film's script.

Big Trouble, which centers on Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) doing battle with a sorcerer, grossed $11.1 million in its original run before developing a cult following.