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-- Ip Man 2 --
At 12th Shanghai Film Festival, Raymond Wong announces that Ip Man 2 would begin production in Shanghai this August (video). He says that the script has been completed by his son, Edmond Wong. And he's very happy that his son can write such a great script as Ip Man.

-- Detective Dee --

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, directed by Tsui Hark, has been filming intensively Hengdian for three weeks, with the production often working into the wee hours. The cast includes Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Li Bing Bing and Deng Chao.

Each of the principal cast has at least three outfits. Aiming to create the most charming Di Ren Jie yet, as opposed to the portly figure historically, Tsui Hark has Andy Lau sporting a goatee and wearing a headdress. Andy Lau also has other outfits like nocturnal clothing, and something that looks like rags. Li Bing Bing would cross-dress for the most part, and in one outfit, carries a murderous and terrifying appearance, and she would be competing and fighting against Andy Lau again in their 2nd collaboration.

Andy Lau, who is working with Tsui Hark for the first time, is full of enthusiasm for the film, saying that Di Ren Jie is has a very charming personality, and that this will be one of his finest works yet.

Sammo Hung praises Andy Lau for his professionalism, saying that he's strives very hard in action scenes, and with his experiences and talent, fights pretty well. And he would not use any doubles, one of whom bears striking resemblance, for any action that he is able to handle himself. Sammo Hung adds that while the action scenes are poetic in nature, the actual fights are still on the realistic side, for he doesn't like flowery action.

Yu Yuan Qi of a Chengdu cultural firm reveals that they're doing a wuxia comedy with Stephen Chow and a Beijing studio. He says that they have reached an initial agreement with The Stars Overseas after a few negotiations with Tin Kai Man, and Tsang Kang Cheung is writing the script for the untitled wuxia comedy.

Being concerned about the rebuilding of Sichuan since the devastating earthquake last May, Stephen Chow has always hoped to do something for her. Hence, he agreed to work with Yu Yuan Qi to shoot a wuxia movie showcasing various locales in the region, including Mt Ermei, Leshan Grand Budhha, Mt Qingcheng and Jiuzhaigou, to help boost tourism.

Being in scripting phase, the storyline and Stephen Chow's part in the film are kept secret at the moment. The tentative cast include Sammo Hung and Zhang Yu Qi plus other artistes from The Star Overseas, as well as two important female roles that might be selected from Sichuan. The film, with an estimated budget of over 100m yuan, is expected to begin production at the end of the year or in early 2010 once Stephen Chow is happy with the script.  EastDay

Ip Man, the most successful collaboration between director Wilson Yip, martial arts director Sammo Hung and actor Donnie Yen to date, is due for home video release on Feb 13. The cast for this martial arts biopic includes Donnie Yen, Fan Siu Wong, Lynn Hung, Simon Yam, Xing Yu, Chen Zhi Hui, To Yu Hang, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, etc. Ip Man is doing very well at the box office in the region, grossing around HK$24m in HK and over 90m yuan in China.

Ip Man features Donnie Yen in his breakthrough role as the atypical hero who doesn't go around standing up for justice. Yet when the times changed, he's forced out of his laidback and unassuming lifestyle to challenge the invaders. Ip Man, may be preordered from YesAsia on the following formats: 1-disc DVD, 2-disc special edition DVD, and Blu-ray.

Both the 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray versions come packed with extras like making of, interviews, deleted scenes, shooting diary, and featurettes on Ip Man and Wing Chun martial arts.

Champions, directed by Tsui Siu Ming, starring Dicky Cheung, Xie Miao, Xu Xiang Dong, Yu Rongguang, Debbie Goh, Priscilla Wong, will be out on DVD on January 22. The movie, about a group of athletes aspiring to participate in the Olympic Games, features various forms of martial arts such as Praying Mantis, Eagle Claw and Tai Chi. Two editions are available for pre-order at YesAsia - 2-disc edition and 2-disc + Soundtrack CD edition, both containing extras like making-of, trailer, promos, etc.

All About Women, a romantic comedy by Tsui Hark, starring Zhou Xun, Zhang Yu Qi, Guey Lun Mei, Alex Fong Chung Sun, Stephen Fung arrives on DVD on January 20. The film revolves around the roller coaster romantic adventures of three women bumbling through love and life. Pre-order at YesAsia.

Wushu - The Young Generation, a coming-of-age wushu movie produced by Jackie Chan and directed by Antony Szeto, starring newcomers like Wang Wen Jie, Liu Feng Chao, Mao Jun Jie, etc, with Sammo Hung lending his support to help groom the next generation, is expected to be out on DVD on January 30. Wushu tells the tale of five friends immersing their lives in learning the disciplines of martial arts with no other thought but to excel. More information on YesAsia.

-- Chasing Shadow -

Chasing Shadow, a wuxia movie co-directed by Francis Ng and Marco Mak, produced by Huayi Brothers, starring Francis Ng, Pace Wu, Jaycee Chan, began production without much fanfare in early December 2008. Ma Yuk Sing provides the action choreography while the screenplay was written by Chinese film critic Wei Jun Zi.

-- Ip Man --

Ip Man gala premiere was held in Beijing on December 10, attended by producer Raymond Wong, director Wilson Yip, martial arts choreographer Sammo Hung, the cast members Donnie Yen (and his wife), Lynn Hung, Fan Siu Wong, who wowed the audience with a highly impressive martial arts display, as well as Yip Chun, Daniel Chan, Hu Yan Bin and others.

Donnie Yen says that it took him 9 months before he truly comprehended Wing Chun, and also incorporated some of his ideas. In the movie, the quick, successive punches are no special effects, but a result of his training, and he was actually having much difficulty delivering such a chain of supersonic moves, having to endure the pains from his ailing right shoulder.

In Ip Man, what they wish to convey is not the ostentation of kungfu, but its inner cultivation, it's a film promulgating Chinese martial arts philosophy. It's not about fighting, but understanding of martial arts essence through sparring, swapping pointers with each other.
 

Sammo Hung hopes to eulogise grandmaster Ip Man with pure kungfu, "Nowadays, you only see special effects in action films, but no real kungfu. Kungfu has gone above the sentient world, becoming impracticable. I hope to let the people see that fistplay can be humanly attainable, returning to the original forms. Wing Chun is a simple kungfu that anyone can pick up, I have no reason not to use real kungfu."

Wilson Yip says they intend to make a series out of Ip Man franchise, and hope to shoot the sequel next April. Ip Man opens on December 12 in China, and across other Asian territories next week.  Sina, Beijing Youth Daily

Why didn't you play any role in Ip Man but served only as the martial arts director?
Sammo Hung: There's no suitable role, and the boss thinks I'm too expensive.

As the martial arts choreographer of Ip Man, is it more difficult to craft, direct Wing Chun sequences than your past movies? Did you delve deep into Wing Chun?
Sammo Hung: Every movie has its own challenges, it's not merely restricted to Ip Man. Ip Man is primarily about a person, it tests the actor's ability, whether he has the capacity to portray such a person. What I did was to coordinate with the director and the actors to complete the martial arts scenes.

-- Ip Man --
Fan Siu Wong, who plays a master from the north in Ip Man, receives the highest praise from Donnie Yen while they're in Guangzhou on October 30 to do publicity.

Donnie Yen explains, "Wu Jing has very good skills, or we wouldn't have invited him for such an important role in SPL. Actually, there are many people with great potential, but it depends on the level they can reach, it all depends on hard work. Frankly speaking, capable martial arts stars are getting rarer.

- He Who Would Be King --

Press conference was held in Beijing on October 28 to celebrate the launch of Ju Long's film studio as well as to announce its upcoming production 《王者》Wang Zhe/He Who Would Be King (tentative), which begins filming next month. The cast includes Sammo Hung, Shi Xiao Long, Bruce Liang, Zhao Chang Jun, Xiong Xin Xin, Li Wan Tong.

According to Bruce Liang, the film is produced by his disciple Ju Long's firm, so he wishes to lend him a hand. And he also finds the script for the martial arts film to be not bad. 

Sammo Hung and Bruce Liang are playing rivals, the two would not only have an ultimate showdown, but also fall for the same girl Li Wan Tong.

The kungfu comedy is slated for release in Lunar New Year 2009, and for each ticket sold, 2 yuan would be donated to charity, to help Sichuan earthquake victims rebuild their homes.

Bruce Liang would also be joining another film Jeet Kune Do which aims at paying tribute to Bruce Lee. Jeet Kune Do is directed by Billy Chan and stars Mainland martial artist Chen Tian Xin, who also produces the film and has been intensifying his training in preparation for the role. Filming begins sometime next month. Other cast members include Eddie Ko and Lam Wai.  Sina, TOM