Wu-Jing.org

-- City Under Siege --
Director Benny Chan says that he has just made a 126 minutes cut of City Under Siege, "Every actor has done a very good job, their performances are terrific. And Aaron Kwok's acting is very moving. It's already a big headache edit the film down to 126 minutes, I can't bear to cut it any further, every shot is very thrilling."

Benny Chan says that this is his most challenging work in the recent years, as it involves superhuman characters and the use of copious CGIs.

City Under Siege, costing around 100m yuan to produce, will combine Chinese kungfu with Hollywood special effects. The mutants in the film - Aaaron Kwok, Collin Chou, Tie Nan, Zhang Wen Bao - will all be executing Chinese Kungfu. So do the mutant-busters Wu Jing and Zhang Jing Chu.  Netease

-- City Under Siege --

On his August 6, 2009 blog entry, Wu Jing says that City Under Siege, directed by Benny Chan, with Ma Yuk Sing as the action choreographer, is near completion. A few days ago, he had a scene involving being smashed against the table. Without any hesitation, he put on the waist guard and did the stunt himself. After the scene was done, someone asked, "This shot doesn't show much of the face, why did you have to do it personally? Didn't you injure your waist sometime back?"

This question boggled Wu Jing. He never thinks of anything else when he is doing an action scene, he just feels it's his job to do it. This is quite a paradox, to an actor, they have to do their scenes personally, it's their duty. But looking from another angle, if a person doesn't know how to take care of themselves when doing their work, how could they talk of finishing it?

This put Wu Jing at a loss, to quote Little Shenyang, "Why is this so?"

Incidentally, a 0:37 video of a scene with a truck being driven to run over the mutant Ngai Sing only to be stopped and lifted by the latter may be viewed on Netease.

Oriental Daily reports that Aaron Kwok says it's great working with Ngai Sing, "Actually, he had a few script choices, but on hearing that he'd be collaborating with me, he flew from US to shoot this film."

Aaron Kwok who was sent to the hospital on the first day he had to wear mutant makeup due to sensitive skin, feels sorry for Ngai Sing who has to be in mutant form all day long, "I introduced the doctor to him, and he teaches me kungfu, we became good friends."

Filming inauguration (video) for City Under Siege was held on a soundstage in Yuen Long, Hong Kong on June 24.

Director Benny Chan says that he had long wanted to do a Chinese type of superhero movie, one that combines that unique characteristics of Chinese Kungfu with special visual effects.

On June 11 afternoon, Beijing Enlight Pictures held a press conference to announce its 8 upcoming/ongoing/future projects/co-productions between 2009 to 2010. Liu Yi Wei and Liu Yan hosted the event that was attended by Enlight's chairman Wang Zhang Tian and president Zhang Zhao, and their collaborators producer Raymond Wong, directors Gordon Chan, Andrew Lau, etc, as well as comics creator Tony Wong Yuk Long.

-- City on Alert --

City on Alert, a 100m yuan sci-fi actioner by director's Benny Chan Muk Sing, has been secretly in production for several days. The cast includes Aaron Kwok, Ngai Sing, Wu Jing, Shu Q, Zhang Jing Chu.

In this film on courage, a group of circus performers goes on a rampage after undergoing some kind of mutation, that grants them superhuman abilities, in an accident. However, one of them, an ordinary clown originally, would not condone the others' misdeeds and for the sake of the entire city, stands up against them.

-- Forbidden Kingdom --

Having worked with Yuen Wo Ping a number of times, Ngai Sing, who plays Jade Warlord in the recently released Forbidden Kingdom, describes him as one of martial arts directors he most enjoys working with. Whenever Yuen Wo Ping invites him to join a project, he would not turn down him down.

Ngai Sing, who is expected to join Yuen Wo Ping's upcoming directorial project Iron Mask, elaborates, "Yuen Wo Ping's techniques change and improve with the advancement of technology and filmmaking, he is vastly different from some of the older generations who are not receptive to changes or new ideas. Yuen Wo Ping is often willing to listen to suggestions of younger filmmakers, he is willing to employ their creative ideas, and combined with his years of experience in martial arts choreography, re-works on his own ideas. His martial arts direction often tells a story, like a graceful, beautiful ballet.

-- 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

-- Forbidden Kingdom --

In this interview, maestro martial arts choreographer Yuen Wo Ping gives a blow by blow account of the choreography behind Forbidden Kingdom.

It has always been my practice to choreograph the action based on the script as well as the personality of the character, this is very important. Jackie Chan plays Drunken Immortal in the movie, he's more outgoing and lively, as well as suave, he loves drinking, it's like he's roaming the mundane world casually.

Continue reading "Yuen Wo Ping's Annotations on Forbidden Kingdom's Martial Arts Choreography"

-- Forbidden Kingdom --

As actor Collin Chou (aka Ngai Sing) correctly pointed out, the Jade Warlord in Forbidden Kingdom is not necessary an evil character. He merely tries to keep the kingdom in order. So when characters that he considers unruly or who opposes him appear, he will not hesitate to remove them or teach them a lesson, just like how he taught the Monkey King a lesson by imprisoning him in stone for five centuries.

Background on Forbidden Kingdom

Jackie Chan and Jet Li, the two most revered martial arts superstar actors in the world today, have come together for the very first time in filmmaking history to pit their skills in The Forbidden Kingdom as Lu Yan and the Silent Monk respectively.

In this one-of-a-kind project, producer Casey Silver has not only succeeded in bringing together an exceptional group of people, including some of the best talent in Asian and Western cinema, for the first truly international Asian blockbuster movie. He has also pulled off a great feat in making the entire film in China.

This epic production is written by veteran screenwriter John Fusco, whose past works include the Academy Award®-nominated Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and directed by Rob Minkoff of The Lion King fame, who brings his unique blend of character, comedy, drama and storytelling to the enthralling and innovative time-traveling story structure...

-- Forbidden Kingdom Trailer --

Forbidden Kingdom theatrical trailer is now available at Yahoo Movies or  ForbiddenKingdomMovie.com.