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Over 10 million yuan and around 4 months were spent on building the 1:1 life-size replica of Shaolin Temple in Yanshi, Yongkang. Some structures or props of the new Shaolin Temple were actually built larger for ease of filming or to impart a more numinous feel, such as the towering giant Buddha statue.

Continue reading "Shaolin: Andy Lau Teams up with Wu Jing, Xing Yu and Yu Shao Qun Against Nicholas Tse and Xiong Xin Xin"

 With his rising popularity and big sellouts of his films, Donnie Yen is fast becoming one of the top earners in the industry, commanding up to 20m yuan per film this year, after Jackie Chan (30m yuan), Jet Li (25m yuan) and Chow Yun Fatt (25m yuan). Hailed as the new King of Kung Fu, he is getting even more offers this year, running the gamut from historical epic  on 《关云长》 General Guan Yun Chang by Felix Chong and Alan Mak, through comic book adaptation 《中华英雄》 A Man Called Hero remake, to mythological feature 《大闹天宫》 Monkey King. Continue reading "Donnie Yen Seeks Quantum Leaps for Each Film He Does"

At the pre-production press conference (video) at the famed Shaolin Temple on Mt Song on October 22, it was announced that apart from Emperor Motion Pictures and Shaolin Cultural Communication, China Film Group, Huayi Brothers and Henan TV are also co-producing the kungfu epic, Shaolin, budgeted at close to 200 million yuan. Continue reading "Benny Chan Narrates A New Story of Shaolin"

-- New Shaolin Temple --  
Rumours have been floating around for some time regarding who is set to star in Hong Kong veteran director Benny Chan’s upcoming - all star cast laden - martial arts epic Shaolin. Well now it seems most of the talent has signed on the dotted line and it’s quite the who's who of A-list Action stars. Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Wu Jing!! are confirmed, with that added plus of a cameo appearance by none other than Jackie Chan. Soooold!
 
 This movie is not be a remake or sequel to Jet Li’s 80s classic Shaolin Temple. Rather, it is an entirely new story, written by Alan Yuen, that is set in early 1900s Republican period. Shot in a real Shaolin Temple it will also feature real life Shaolin monks in the supporting cast using exotic Shaolin kung-fu. Filming is due to start this December, and is expected to be completed by April 2010.
 
 Synopsis: China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighboring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, young and arrogant Hao Jie sneers at Shaolin's masters when he beats one of them in a duel. But the pride comes before a fall. When his own family is wiped out by a rival warlord, Hao Jie is forced to take refuge with the monks. As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hao Jie and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a fiery stand against the evil warlords. They launch a daring plan or rescue and escape. 24FramesPerSecond, via Maz

 Duan Yi Hong - "Leopard" Yue Lu Xiang
 An ailing, languid leopard that constantly puts itself in a state of hunger, ever alert to the slightest movement of even the tiniest of his preys. Waiting and pursuits are his second natures, quickly following up with capture.
 
 Specialises in Tae Kwan Do; creating and defusing bombs; surviving in the wilderness; skilled in all kinds of weapons, especially derringer. Continue reading "An Introduction to the Fantastic Four Detectives"

Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction (Oct 2, 2009)

In this romantic action comedy directed and written by Jeffrey Lau, Alex Fong, the newly invented android with emotions and reasoning ability being, gets planted in a remote town, under the charge of sheriff Hu Jun, to test its functionalities. Being a "perfect human", Alex Fong soon becomes the town's idol, with Sun Li falling for him. But he's forbidden by his programme codes to fall in love. Soon, Hun Jun and Alex Fong are sent to track down Wu Jing, an android seeking independence and questioning the orders of his creator. With box-office takings of 50m yuan, the film was better received in China than Hong Kong.

 

Order

YesAsia: Blu-ray, DVD | Related products: Soundtrack CD, Making-of Documentary Book

HKFlix: Blu-ray, DVD

Continue reading "Coming on DVD in September/October 2009: Kungfu Cyborg, On His Majesty's Secret Service, etc"

-- New Shaolin Temple --

Representing Shaolin Temple's investment in the film New Shaolin Temple that Benny Chan is directing, producer Fu Yang Hua, head of Shaolin Cultural Communications, says that their negotiations with Andy Lau for a year have been fruitful, and he'd be playing a feudal lord's son who's a crack shot [While it could also be referring to spear in Chinese, gun is more likely given that the persona belongs to the military ruling class] if all goes well.

While Jet Li denies involvement, Fu Yang Hua says they're still trying their best to persuade Jet Li, hoping to bring about a pleasant surprise, "Even if we succeeded in bringing Jet Li on board, he won't have too many scenes, it's basically a cameo."
 
There's a good chance of Wu Jing, who was at One Foundation C1 Charity Race, organised by Jet Li, in Chengdu last weekend, joining too.
 
New Shaolin Temple, which showcases exotic Shaolin martial arts and involves the participation of real-life Shaolin martial monks, begins production in December 2009 and would wrap up by April 2010.  Shanghai Morning Post

 Press conference announcing production of 《海洋天堂》 Sea of Heaven/Ocean Paradise (tentative), to be filmed in Qingdao, was held in Beijing on August 26. Continue reading "Jet Li Explores Parental Love and Autistic Kids in Sea of Heaven"

-- New Shaolin Temple --

While the deal hasn't been sealed formerly on paper, Andy Lau, who has just finished filming Detective Dee, confirms that he'd be doing New Shaolin Temple. They have been in talks for a year and Andy Lau would play a feudal lord's son, whose gun is his most powerful weapon, and he also has to be trained in Shaolin kung fu. Three months before production begins, he'd start learning kungfu. Andy Lau says he is uncertain of Jet Li's involvement.

 

Director Benny Chan responds that he's currently filming City Under Siege, and EMP is taking care of New Shaolin Temple's pre-production, so he doesn't have the casting details, "From the commercial standpoint, the more celebrities the better, but it's impossible to have too many big names in one movie."

Benny Chan also adds that as a tribute to Shaolin kungfu, he will not be relying too much on special effects, and the martial arts scenes will be on the realistic side.  Sohu

-- New Shaolin Temple --

Upon being asked, Jet Li says he's not aware of New Shaolin Temple but reveals his next project (the charity movie?) as one in which he doesn't have any action. Coinciding with a report in early June surrounding Andy Lau, Benny Chan is directing the New Shaolin Temple movie.

 

As director Benny Chan gets interviewed by Sina specifically regarding New Shaolin Temple, he says he is in touch with several actors and some big names would be involved but the cast hasn't been confirmed.

Continue reading "Benny Chan to Direct New Shaolin Temple"

-- New Shaolin Temple --
New Shaolin Temple that Shaolin, Henan Movie & TV and EMP are producing is being written by Yuen Kam Lun. The movie is set in the Republican period in early 1900s, when the land was divided and ruled by rivalling feudal warlords, and the people were living in hard times [possibly just after the Manchurian government was toppled or death of General Yuan Shikai]. The story revolves around the monks from Shaolin Temple extending their help to the populace and even sacrificing their lives.

The production is currently in talks with Jet Li and Andy Lau to star in the film, with the former invited to play a senior monk. Production begins no earlier than end of the year.  Chinese Business View

-- Journey to the West --
Speaking at a One Foundation press conference, in response to everyone's concerns about his showbiz career, Jet Li, who has just finished filming The Expendables, says that he'd be doing an untitled charity-themed movie later this year, but further details are withheld for now.

Incidentally, producer Zhang Ji Zhong, who's in pre-production of a TV as well as a movie adaptation of Journey to the West, and Jet Li had a secret meeting with each other recently, leading to speculations about Jet Li being invited to play Sun Wu Kong in the movie version, which is being written by Hollywood scriptwriters based on story outline given to them. Zhang Ji Zhong says that it was just a casual meet-up between two old friends, and would neither deny nor confirm the speculations.  Sohu, Tianjin Daily