In the Pipeline

-- Iron Mask --
The much anticipated Yuen Wo Ping film Iron Mask/Iron Monkey sequel is slated to begin production in July. The budget is around 150m yuan and funding comes from Europe and Mainland. Yuen Woo Ping intends to create Iron Mask a Chinese version of Batman and introduce the film to Europe and US. The film will feature a fair amount of martial arts scenes and special effects.

However, what's not so promising is that Louis Koo and Shawn Yue are expected to play the lead roles. While good in their own right and thy have done some decent action scenes, neither is an actual martial artist. Even those approached prior to this were non-martial artists - Chow Yun Fat, Jay Chow, Andy Lau - though they didn't eventually take up this project.

Set in Republican period in the early 1900s, Louis Koo plays a police constable by day, but when night falls, he dons a mask (which could imply frequent doubling) and goes about relieving the rich of their coffers so as to relieve the poverty-stricken, and even teams up with his disciple Shawn Yue against a very powerful, devious merchant. Being fan of Batman, Louis Koo is very happy to accept this role.  Information Times