Wu-Jing.org - In the Pipeline

Jackie Chan Prepares Shaolin Temple Drama Serial For The Disciple Candidates

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:02:36 -0400

-- Shaolin Temple --

On Wednesday night when he received honorary professorship from Savannah College of Art and Design, Jackie Chan revealed that he is producing a 30-part Shaolin Temple series featuring a number of finalists from The Disciple.

Jackie Chan, who just signed up 16 candidates from The Disciple, is all set to groom them.

On being enquired, Jackie Chan's firm in Beijing confirms that Jackie Chan is collaborating with Beijing TV to produce a modern-day version of Shaolin Temple.

Continue reading "Jackie Chan Prepares Shaolin Temple Drama Serial For The Disciple Candidates"

Nicholas Tse and Gillian Chung to Star in EMG's Wing Chun

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:01:26 -0400

-- Wing Chun --
Emperor Motion Pictures is planning to produce a Wing Chun film, with Benny Chan directing. Nicholas Tse and Gillian Chung are set to play the leading roles. The female lead was originally intended for Isabella Leong but owing to her dispute with the company, Gillian Chung was chosen to fill the role instead.

Charlene Choi says, "Gillian Chung is feeling better now, and as it has always been her dreams to do kung fu films, she has bought some Wing Chun manuals. I often tease her for studying martial arts manuals. She's also training under some martial arts coaches." Zhejiang Entertainment, 67

Follow-up: However, further enquiries made with Emperor Pictures reveals that nothing is set in the stone, including the script, the director and the cast. Sina

Jackie Chan Names Jack Tu His Disciple

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:35:40 -0400

-- The Disciple --

Yesterday night, the final round of The Disciple, attended by various luminaries in the industry like Tsui Hark, John Woo, Ng See Yuen, Cheng Pei, Pei, Yu Rong Guang, was aired over Beijing TV. The Disciple contest was put on hold in mid-May following the Sichuan earthquake with the candidates going to do relief work and only resumed recently.

The champion goes to 涂圣成 Jack Tu Sheng Cheng, who grew up under strict training regime of his martial artist father since the age of six. The runners-up are 杨政 Yang Zheng and 易扬 Jerry Liau. Jackie Chan presents his calligraphy to the champion Yu Sheng Cheng and takes him in as his disciple. Yang Sheng Cheng will get to follow Jackie Chan, and be imparted with his skills on movie-making.

In conjunction with China Film Group, Emperor Motion Pictures, Beijing TV Station, Beijing Forbidden City Films, and his own studio, Jackie Chan will be producing three modern action movies 《速递206》 (Speedpost 206), 《不告诉你》 (Won't Tell You), 《热带气旋》 (Tropical Tornado) and one action TV series with them playing the lead roles. Production is expected to start in September.

The rest of the top 16 candidates will also have a chance to take part in the above projects. Stanley Tong and Peter Pau will be the executive producers, while Xie Dong, Jiang Tao and Cai Rong Hui will each direct a movie. Jackie Chan Stunt Team will choreograph the action. EastDay | Videos at Sina

Forbidden Kingdom Sequel A Go?

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:21:00 -0400

-- 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

Non-Martial Artists to Play Title Roles in Iron Mask?

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:03:07 -0400

-- 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

Keanu Reeves Woos Yuen Wo Ping with A Kungfu Movie Starring Tiger Chen

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:58:06 -0400

-- 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

Zhao Wen Zhuo Lands Lead Role on Hollywood Project

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:39:12 -0400

-- 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

Beijing Enlight Announces 30-picture Plan, including "Chen Zhen", Five Venoms

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:05:47 -0400

-- "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: Yuen Wo Ping Scouts Location in Yunnan

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:45:37 -0400

-- 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

Casting Call for Upcoming Yuen Wo Ping Project

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:16:44 -0400

-- 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.

Sammo Hung to Star in Daniel Lee's Duel

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:08:24 -0500

-- 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

Tidbits on Wu Jing's Next: Wolf Fangs

nospam@example.com (Scoops Guild) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:20:18 -0500

-- 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