In the Pipeline

-- Forbidden Kingdom Sequel --

Having raked in US$70m in all worldwide, Huayi Brothers announces that they will be collaborating with Hollywood studios to produce Forbidden Kingdom sequel, with Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), Silent Monk (Jet Li), Jade Warlord (Ngai Sing), White Hair Demoness (Li Bing Bing) making a return.

Just before production began, Jet Li, as one of the film's investors, had an agreement with the Hollywood producers and bank that if the film makes less than US$40m worldwide, it's considered at failure; if it hits US$50m, they would talk about making a sequel; if it makes US$70m within 2 weeks of its opening, it's a confirmation.

While the script for Forbidden Kingdom sequel is far from completion, it's possible that the scenes giving background to White Hair Demoness, her past relationship, her hatred towards men that were cut from the original will be put back. Jet Li, who hopes to introduce Monkey King to the West, says casually that they could even have Monkey King battling DC comics superheroes like Superman, Batman in the sequel.

Apart from Forbidden Kingdom sequel, producer Casey Silver also intends to make another pic Legend of Lin Chong, with possibly either Jet Li or Chow Yun Fatt cast as the eponymous hero Leopard Head Lin Chong, one of the 108 heroic outlaws from Water Margins.  Beijing Times

-- 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

-- Tai Chi Tiger --

While in Seoul promoting his latest movie Street Kings, Keanu Reeves, during an interview, becomes especially excited on the mention of Yuen Wo Ping. He says he met Yuen Wo Ping, whom he addresses as master or Eighth Master in Cantonese, in Beijing around half a year ago to discuss a kungfu movie, tentatively called Tai Chi Tiger. He'd play a villain character. Tiger Chen Hu will play the lead as a Tai Chi master.

Keanu Reeves says that it's still in scripting stage and that the film will be shot on location in China. He'd show the script to Yuen Wo Ping upon completion and hopes that Yuen Wo Ping would direct it. A few months back, Keanu Reeves was in Sichuan scouting locations with Tiger Chen.

On being enquired, Yuen Wo Ping says that he's very happy and look forward to collaborating with Keanu Reeves, but clarifies that he'd only be the martial arts director. The film will be directed by Tiger Chen himself, in other word, its going to be directorial debut of this young member of Yuen Clan. Yuen Wo Ping adds that he has also invited Keanu Reeves for another project to be shot next year.  Sina

 -- Tai Chi and Hollywood Project --

Zhao Wen Zhuo says that it's by chance that he got to work with TVB on "Tai Chi", "Once, in Beijing, I met producer Tommy Leung. We talked about Tai Chi, and he had the intention to shoot a drama serial concerning it. Later, he showed me the synopsis. Perhaps it's because I have been training in Taichi since young, I was very keen."

He says that after having read the entire script, he was happy with it, saying that the story was well written and within logic. And it would also introduce Tai Chi to the audience. Perhaps, it's the dreams of countless actors to enter Hollywood, and now, Zhao Wen Zhuo gets such a chance. He says that the movie would begin production in Beijing in September. It's a martial arts movie and he'd be playing the lead role. And he has spent over a year in US studying English to prepare himself.

Zhao Wen Zhuo has already settled down, having married Mainland actress/Peking Opera performer Zhang Dan Lu, who now take cares of the family fulltime, in the previous year. He says that having a family gives him a motivation, that he can only succeed, and cannot afford failures. Currently, Zhao Wen Zhuo has two kids, one son and one daughter.  67.com

-- "Chen Zhen" --

Beijing Enlight Pictures held a press conference yesterday, announcing its plan to produce/co-produce/distribute 30 films in the next three years. Gordon Chan, Kirk Wong, Joe Ma, Dante Lam, Lee Chi Ngai have all signed collaboration deals with it.

Gordon Chan's first deal with Beijing Enlight Pictures is "Chen Zhen" which is still in scripting stage. He'll be working on it in full force after completing another film in Japan. Donnie Yen has already verbally agreed to play the eponymous character. Gordon Chan says that this is a very difficult subject since stories concerning Chen Zhen have been adapted countless times, including Fist of Legend that Gordon Chan directed in 1995. However, as one with keen interests on Chen Zhen, he has confidence of creating something different. He says that "Chen Zhen" is tailor made for Donnie Yen and hopes to begin production at the end of this year.

Kirk Wong would be working with Beijing Enlight Pictures on Five Venoms remake, possibly with Jay Chou and Wong Lee Hom in the leads. Other films in the works include Flowers of Apocynum, Codex of Weapons, Chinese Warriors, Special Task Force, etc (all tentative titles).

Since Confession of Pain, Beijing Enlight has been involved in producing/distributing Wonder Woman, Flash Point and Triangle. The movies they are distributing this year include Tsui Hark's Missing aka The Eye 3 (May), Jeffrey Lau's Fantastic Water Babes with Gillian Chung, Eva Huang Shengyi, Charlene Choi, Alex Fong, Stephen Fung, Tian Liang (July).  Beijing Morning Post, Beijing Times | Video: Sohu

-- Iron Mask --

Recently, Yuen Wo Ping, accompanied by his long-time collaborator producer/scriptwriter Anthony Wong Wing-Fai, is in Yunan's Weishan county to scout locations for his upcoming martial arts movie tentatively called 《铁面侠》 Knight-errant in Iron Mask. The ancient citadel of Weishan has hundreds of years of history. It resembles a chess board with 24 streets and 18 alleys, fully retaining Ming and Manchu dynasties' ancient buildings.

Having witnessed the beautiful archaic structures of Weishan and the scenic beauty of Mt Weibao, Yuen Wo Ping has basically decided to shoot Iron Mask on location in these two locales of Yunnan. Production is expected to begin in May or so.  Dali Daily | Photos: Tuniu, Sina

Some archived photos of Weishan, Mt Weibao, and Yuen Wo Ping

-- Untitled Yuen Wo Ping Film --

Edko Films Productions has put out an open casting call for an as yet “untitled” Hong Kong/China martial arts project to be choreographed and directed by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping. Edko reps are looking for a variety of fighters of all shapes, sizes and styles, traditional martial arts, MMA, UFC/cage fighters/WWE and everything in between. Details at Kung Fu Cinema.

-- Duel --

Daniel Lee announces his two future projects 《比武》 Duel (tentative) and 《将军》General/Checkmate (tentative) at a press conference in Beijing on 25 Feb. One is slated to be filmed in October, while the other at the end of the year. Sammo Hung will play the leading man in Duel. He agreed to joining due to the emphasis on drama. Daniel Lee also hopes to invite 70s martial arts stars Hwang Jang Lee and Wang Ing Sik.

The film is about two wushu practitioners who made a pact in their early years to challenge each other's martial arts skills. Subsequently, one lives overseas in USA while the other in China. To fulfil their obligations, the two have been waiting for over half a century, until they are in their seventies. It also examines the conflicts between the aging wushu practitioner and his kids, their differences in thinking and their generation gap, cultural differences, family ties, the traditional Chinese beliefs, trust and being true to one's word, exploring human relationships through the spirit of wushu.  Sina

-- Wolf Fangs --

Wu Jing's next film is expected to begin production in middle of March. The film, tentatively titled 《狼牙》 (Wolf Teeth), tells the tale of an assassin. The production would try to get theatrical release in Mainland, as opposed to the Category III rated Fatal Move, which can only be released on home video there.

Wu Jing will be in Hong Kong on February 20 to take part in Gold Label Management's Lunar New Year celebration, and will be attending Fatal Move's gala premiere on February 26. Wu Jing's Management

After making brief appearances in Seven Swords, Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu, Angela Chen Jia Jia lands a leading role in upcoming 31 episodes kungfu TV series 《董海川传奇》 Legend of Dong Hai Chuan, which is based on real-life events of Bagua Zhang (Eight Trigram Palm) founder Dong Hai Chuan from late Manchurian Dynasty. She will be playing the romantic interest of Dong Hai Chuan. Li Qi Long (aka Shi De Qiang, Tom Lee) will play the title role as young Dong Hai Chuan, while the fifth generation disciple of Eight Trigram Palm Wu Guang Yu will play middle-aged Dong Hai Chuan. Famous Bagua Zhang exponents Mou Jun Dong, Li Yun Long have also been invited to assist in coaching of Bagua Zhang.