HONG KONG, July 10 (AP) -- Hong Kong director Andrew Lau said Sunday he's honored by Martin Scorsese's decision to remake his acclaimed crime thriller "Infernal Affairs."

"Infernal Affairs," starring Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau, is the story of a police officer who infiltrates a gang and an undercover mobster in the police force.

Scorsese's remake is named "The Departed" and features Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.

Lau, who hasn't seen the remake, said he considered famed U.S. director Scorsese's decision an honor, and that he is hoping for the best about the remake.

"Of course I want it to be good," Lau said. "After all, its a remake of a local film. Its very rare for Hollywood to remake a Hong Kong film."

He declined farther comment, saying he wants to seen the Hollywood version of his film first.

It wasn't immediately clear when "The Departed" will be released. "Infernal Affairs" came out in 2002.

Lau made the comments after a news conference for his coming film, "Confession of Pain," which also has a police theme.

The Hong Kong-China-Japan co-production is budgeted at 80 million Hong Kong dollars (US$10.3 million; €8 million). Its star-studded lineup including Cannes winner Leung, Taiwanese sex symbol She Qi and Taiwanese-Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Meanwhile, Lau has made his Hollywood debut with "The Flock," starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes.

He said he has finished filming the movie, which is in post-production and set for release in November.

Lau said filming in Hollywood isn't vastly different from shooting in Hong Kong, but he has more creative control in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is known for its flexible, sometimes chaotic filming schedule. Hollywood has a reputation for being more systematic.

"In Hong Kong, directors are the boss. They can do whatever they want. In Hollywood, producers, the studios are involved. There are a lot of things to keep you in check," Lau said.

"In Hong Kong, the investors won't hold meetings with you to air their views. In the U.S., they like to express their opinions," he said.