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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.

In 1991, the seven-year old Xie Miao was brought by his parents to Beijing Haiding Centre for Children, in the hope that he'd be a dancer. However, the little Xie Miao, roving his eyes about, peered around.

Then, he spotted through an ajar door, a room with kids wielding spears and broadswords, it was a sight to behold, holding the hyperactive kid spellbound. Against his parents' objection and protests, he signed up for the wushu class next door.

-- Champions --

Champions, a martial arts comedy directed by Tsui Siu Ming, opens in China on October 31. The film features a variety of martial arts: Eagle Claw, Praying Mantis, Tai Chi, Southern Fist, Ditang Fist, Fanzi Fist, Arhat Fist, Tiger Taming Fist, etc, as well as an assortment of weaponry; and appearances by numerous wushu champions.

One notable wushu star in the film is Xu Xiang Dong, who plays An Yong, Chief of Eagle Claw Clan, who goes around challenging everybody initially. As one who stands by the motto "One who remains standing is the winner, one who is lying on the ground the loser.", he organises a martial arts meet to let everyone witness the prowess of his skills.

-- Champions --
The 30m yuan Champions is said to be an actual true blue kungfu film, with backdrop set against 1936 Berlin Olympics where Chinese wushu was showcased out of competition. The poster states that the film features 15 wushu champions, with 15 martial arts styles being exhibited.

Costarring alongside Dicky Cheung is Xie Miao, who having grown up, has been doing kungfu productions like Legend of Shaolin Kungfu. Two other noted martial arts stars are Xu Xiang Dong and Yu Rong Guang, who had previously starred in Tsui Siu Ming's Holy Robe of Shaolin Temple as a Shaolin disciple and a Manchu official sent to take control of Shaolin respectively.

-- Champions --
Trailer for old school martial arts film 《夺标》 Champions (Duo Biao), directed by Tsui Siu Ming, starring Dicky Cheung, Wong Tsui Yu, Debbie Goh, Xie Miao, Yu Rong Guang, Xu Xiang Dong, unveiled at Hundred Flowers Film Festival, is now up at MTime.

Champions is about an underdog wushu athlete played by Dicky Cheung who takes part in a martial arts tournament in order represent China in a martial arts performance at an Olympic Games so as to win the heart of a national sprinter, the girl he's in love with.

Champions, which showcases various schools of martial arts ranging from Praying Mantis Boxing through Eagle Claw to Taichi, is due out in November 2008.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu --
Finally, the wonderful kungfu TV series by Du Xiao, which has been topping viewership ratings across various provinces in China, is available for sales officially on DVD.

This martial arts production features highly authentic martial arts sequences with intricate exchanges, courtesy of Ching Siu Tung who discards his usual highly stylised/beautified choreography for wide shot and long cuts that give ample room to showcase the skills of the martial arts champions Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Ye Jian Wei, Ji Chun Hua, Yu Cheng Hui, Chen Jia Jia, Guo Hui, Li Qi Long, Dai Tian etc, a number of whom are fresh talent. Also starring Bao Guo An, Sun Hui Ning, Yaqi Fatima, Wu Ma, Anthony Wong, Tsui Siu Ming, etc.

Order Legend of Shaolin Kungfu DVD (in Chinese only) from YesAsia.

As a side note, Shaolin Warriors DVD with Sammo Hung in a major supporting role as well as actual Shaolin monks as extras but starring non-martial artists is shipping on August 19, 2008. Shaolin Warriors is an unrelated TV series surrounding Shaolin Temple and its monks helping general Qi Ji Guang fend off marauding pirates. However, with its choppily edited action scenes, perhaps done purposely to mask the inefficiencies of the non-martial artists, genre fans are well advised to steer clear of Shaolin Warriors.

-- Duo Biao --

《夺标》 Duo Biao's martial arts choreography, which is 70% traditional and 30% innovation, shows the art of attack and defence of traditional Chinese kungfu, while carrying modern elements at the same time. Tsui Siu Ming and his team also dissected every move in the film, in order to spark sufficient interests from the jaded audiences.

3 months before filming, Dicky Cheung was dragged to Hengdian for training, and the director specifically assigned a martial arts expert to watch over him practising Praying Mantis Boxing as well as retraining in wireworks.

However, even martial artists like Xu Xiang Dong and Xie Miao were not spared of training.

-- Duo Biao --

《夺标》 Duo Biao, co-produced by Sundream and Huayi Brothers, directed by Tsui Siu Ming, has wrapped up after over two months of filming. The martial arts film is slated for release this autumn.

Duo Biao is set in 1936 when China sent 69 athletes to take part in Berlin Olympics. At the same time 9 wushu team members also performed there. While China didn't do very well back then, her wushu performance greatly impressed the Westerners. And it was then that Chinese wushu was spread throughout the world.  Tsu Siu Ming hopes to show the spirit and culture of wushu through this film, with emphasis on realistic and detailed portrayal of traditional martial arts.

-- Duo Biao --

A ceremony marking the production of Sundream Pictures' major project of the year, 《夺标》 Duo Biao (Capturing the Cup), a movie on Chinese wushu, sports and Olympics, was held on April 27 in Hengdian. The inauguration kicked off with a lion dance and martial arts performances. Produced by Tsui Siu Ming and Amy Lee Fung Ming, directed by Kong Tao Hoi and Lee Kong Lok, the cast includes Dicky Cheung, Wong Tsui Yu, Debbie Goh, Michael Wai, Eric Li.

Tsui Siu Ming has also specially sought out martial artists Xu Xiang Dong and Yu Rong Guang, both of whom he worked with in Holy Robe of Shaolin Temple, to join the cast. Currently, Tsiu Siu Ming is in negotiations with Jackie Chan to play a cameo role as the arena contest organiser. 2 million yuan were spent building the arena which is expected to be filled up with 4000 extras.

-- Howling Arrow --
Sammo Hung is currently busy with pre-production of 《响箭》 Howling Arrow, a martial arts movie on chivalry, friendship, martial arts sects and bandits. It appears that apart from Sammo Hung, Wu Jing and Aaron Kwok might also be joining the movie. Aaron Kwok would be playing a bandit and would have several clashes against Sammo Hung and Wu Jing. There will also be two main female roles, a princess and a heroine, both of which have a fair bit of fights. Sammo Hung has the intention of casting Zhou Xun but she might be tied up with other projects. Other actresses being considered for the movie include Charlie Yeung, Ruby Lin and Li Bing Bing. Sammo Hung, who will be directing the movie and be responsible for choreographing martial arts scenes, hopes to showcase Chinese martial arts through the film, and will eschew the use of special effects as much as possible. The title Howling Arrow does not refer to a weapon; it refers the sound of the arrow, and is used to indicate the inner conflicts of the main characters, and their concerns. Right now, Sammo Hung is scouting location in Ningxia while Sunbeam's president Tsui Siu Ming is still amending the script. The movie is expected to begin production sometime after the Lunar New Year in mid-February.  Shanghai Youth Daily

-- Let's Steal Together --

When Tsui Siu Ming and Sammo Hung held several meetings to discuss their upcoming collaboration Howling Arrow, Tsui Siu Ming mentioned the storyline of Let's Steal Together to Sammo Hung, who found it to be appealing. So, Tsui Siu Ming invited him to join this movie as well, to give the audience a pleasant surprise. Coupled with suggestions from Sammo Hung, producer Tsui Siu Ming and director Kong Tao Hoi designed many earthshaking fight scenes in the movie. Sammo Hung plays a lama who is skilled healer, and has many scenes opposite Wu Jing.

"After accepting Let's Steal Together, I often contemplated on improving the action scenes. This time around, Wu Jing is my partner. I have already witnessed his excellent skills in SPL (aka Kill Zone), in which he showed his great agility and power. He is someone with great potential. So, it's a great opportunity to work with him on a martial arts film. I believe I have a very important mission: to protect the two lovely female leads Twins Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi. Though they have encountered hundreds of battles, but facing such a strong opponent as Wu Jing, it'd benefit them to learn some self-defense techniques, so that they would be able to counter his attacks."

Wu Jing feels it a great fortune to work with Sammo Hung again, saying that he has much to learn from him, "I respect brother Sammo Hung a lot, for he treats everyone on the set equally, taking good care of newcomers like us. For example, when he learned that I'd injured myself when filming, he visited me to enquire about my wellbeing. He even said, 'Though you might have had some minor injuries, I won't hold back when filming, for we have to achieve that authentic feel.' He told me not to be hesitant when fighting him simply because he was a senior. He wanted me to give my all. It's very lucky to work with such a professional actor like brother Sammo Hung."   Sina

- Let's Steal Together --

Let's Steal Together is a HK$24m contemporary martial arts comedy that is basically about several artful thieves' hunt for treasure. The cast includes Gillian Chung, Charlene Choi, Wu Jing, Zhang Qian, Yuen Wah, Shek Sau, Sammo Hung, Steven Cheung, etc. Let's Steal Together is expected to be released in early 2007.

It's the first time Kong Tao Hoi, an action director and production planner, works as a director. He was the one behind all sorts of sleight of hand card tricks that Chow Yun Fat did in God of Gamblers. This time around, he will devise not only a set of tough moves for The Twins, but also fresh, novel ways of pilfering.