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14 Blades is expected to be released on home video on April 15, 2010.

In the final years of Ming dynasty, the Imperial Guards have come under the control of power-hungry eunuch Jia Jingzhong. Secretly conspiring with an exiled prince to rebel against the emperor, the corrupt eunuch frames the Jinyiwei captain Qinglong for treason and orders his death. With his fellow Imperial Guards, and the deadly assassin Tuotuo after him, the beleaguered fugitive fights his way out and is joined on his run by Qiao Hua, the daughter of a security agency leader. Together, they set out to stop Jia's conspiracy with help from a powerful bandit king.

Directed by Daniel Lee; Starring Donnie Yen, Vicki Zhao, , Sammo Hung, Xu Xiang Dong, Kate Tsui, Chen Kuan Tai, Law Kar Ying, Chen Zhi Hui, Qi Yi Wu, Wu Chun

Preorder at YesAsia: Blu-ray | DVD

-- 14 Blades --
A newer 14 Blades trailer has been posted 3 weeks back on Youtube, showing the promising action in more coherence and detail.

Also, there's a behind-the-scenes footage of forest battle (non-IMAX version) on Sohu, which shows, based on some elements of the action, Donnie Yen having some input in the choreography by Ku Huen Chiu, and also how he sprained his leg as he grabbed and gyrated to throw off his opponent.

And finally, some images of Vicki Zhao in the film from Sina.

14 Blades' release date has been brought forward by a week to Feb 4, 2010.

In the meantime, Bodyguards and Assassins is doing very well in China, having crossed the 200m yuan boundary in 12 days and Peter Chan is planning a TV version of the film, providing more background on the characters.

-- 14 Blades --

Spoilers ahead

Law Kar Ying is playing an eunuch Jia Jing Zhong, one who is scheming, treacherous and insatiable. His portrayal of one who is vile and effeminate is very piercing.

14 Blades teaser trailer: A, B Sina

Being tired of killings and power struggle within the Imperial Court, Donnie Yen resigns from his post as an Imperial Guard but being privy to their dark secrets, he is hunted by other Imperial Guards who now come under the control of scheming officials. Opens in Spring 2010.

According to director Daniel Lee, 14 Blades will show a never seen before Donnie Yen that'll give the audience a big shock. While he designed actions, as choreographed by Ku Huen Chiu, for Donnie Yen from the beginning to the end, it's his romance with Vicki Zhao that'll be the highlight.

Update: An extended trailer lasting 2:51 minutes with more promising action added.

-- Light-transcending Pandora's Box --

Light-transcending Pandora's Box, a 60m yuan budgeted madcap comedy directed by Jeffrey Lau, has been in production since July 1 and is expected to wrap up by end of August. The film is about some fool acquiring Pandaro's Box by chance and ended up, along with an assortment of characters from a few other films, right in the middle of a war of the Three Kingdoms.

According to Eric Tsang, while Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction is one times as "lowbrow" as Eagle Shooting Hero, Light-transcending Pandora's Box is three times as "lowbrow" as Kungfu Cyborg. Speaking of which, release date for Kungfu Cyborg has been pushed back by a week to August 20, 2009 to allow more time for post-production as the number of CGI shots has been increased by 100 to 400.

While Law Kar Ying said about being invited to reprise the role of Tripitaka a few months back, he was hesitant as he didn't want to repeat this role unless he could top it, and it had to be significantly different. So far, it remains uncertain if Law Kaw King has joined Pandora's Box, and he's currently filming 14 Blades starring Donnie Yen and Vicki Zhao, playing an evil eunuch.

Ronald Cheng and Sun Li are playing the lead roles in Light-transcending Pandora's Box and they are joined by various Chinese and Hong Kong celebrities including veteran artistes Eric Tsang, Sandra Ng, Kenny Bee, Bruce Liang, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu; a number of indispensable comedian extras Johnny Kong Yeuk Sing, Tin Kai Man, Lam Tze Chung, Lee Kin Yan; from Mainland are Guo De Gang, Yu Rong Guang, Huang Bo, Guo Tao, Wang Xue Bing, Sha Yi; from Hong Kong arrives Alex Fong, Fan Siu Wong, Danny Chan Kwok Kwan, Marco Ngai, Patrick Tam, Edmond Leung; and it's being complemented and adorned by female artistes Athena Chu, Gigi Leung, Betty Huang Yi, Ada Choi, Xu Jiao...   Xinhua Daily

-- 14 Blades --

In 14 Blades, the Imperial Guards are raised and trained to be ruthless killing machines since childhood, to execute whatever questionable orders from the Imperial Court or Emperor without questions, and Green Dragon (Donnie Yen), being the most highly skilled of them all, is no exception.

-- 14 Blades --

14 Blades (Imperial Guards), directed by Daniel Lee and stars Donnie Yen and Vicki Zhao, is expected to begin production in Hengdian in a month or two.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor of China possessed one weapon greater than all others, the Imperial Guards, an elite force of assassins recruited from street orphans. Trained in clandestine combat from childhood, the Imperial Guards were masters of the 14 Blades, eight being for torture, five for killing, and the last blade being reserved for suicide when a mission failed. Above the law, with a license to kill, the Imperial Guards devoted their lives and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor alone.

When the Imperial Court is taken over by evil eunuch Jia, the best of the Imperial Guards, Green Dragon and Xuanwu, are assigned to steal a list identifying those still loyal to the Emperor. However unbeknownst to Green Dragon, the Imperial Guards have fallen under the control of Jia, and during the mission Green Dragon is betrayed by Xuanwu and barely escapes with his life. Now as the most wanted man in the land Green Dragon must seek out and rally the loyalists to rise against Jia and restore the Emperor to power. In his way are the deadliest assassins in the land, his former brethren, the Imperial Guards.

Donnie Yen will play Green Dragon, while Vicki Zhao someone the former runs into while he is on the run.  Twitch

-- Bodyguards and Assassins --
At today's press conference for Bodyguards and Assassins (formerly Dark October), a movie on a group of people protecting Sun Yat Sen against assassination when he was in Hong Kong to raise funds on October 15, 1905, the cast was formally announced.

-- Painted Skin --

Trailer to the supernatural movie directed by Gordan Chan and starring Chen Kun, Vicky Zhao, Zhou Xun, Donnie Yen, Sun Li is up at Youtube.

Another trailer at Tudou.

Official site at Sina.

Painted Skin opens in Asia on 25 September.

-- Painted Skin --

Spoilers...

In the wake of Sichuan earthquake, leaving thousands dead, buried, buildings destroyed, roads blocked, with shortage of food and water supply, various Chinese celebrities have made donations and expressed their concerns for victims of the disaster.

Wu Jing, currently filming in Hong Kong, is also worried about the safety of everyone, including his fans in the affected areas, hoping that they are fine, and tide over the calamity soon.

Jackie Chan and Emperor Entertainment's chairman Albert Yeung jointly donated 10m yuan. Jet Li's One Foundation sent 1m yuan immediately, and also started fund-raising activities for further relief efforts, collecting around 18.6m yuan so far. Jet Li is heading to the disaster areas on May 16 to render his help. Various other celebrities, including Donnie Yen, Gillian Chung, Zhao Wen Zhuo, Charlene Choi, Nicholas Tse, Zhang Guo Li, Zhang Ting, Eva Huang Sheng Yi, Andy Lau, Vicky Zhao Wei, Ruby Lin, and many more have also chipped in 100 thousand to 300 thousand yuan each. 
 

Less than 2 weeks ago, Myanmar was devastated by cyclone. With one catastrophe following another, could these be early warnings of Earth being devoured?

Donations can be made via One Foundation. You may also find some links at Celina Jade's Blog, who is  observing a 3-day vegetarian diet for the cause of dedicating the good karma, the positive energy brought about by not killing, to the victims.  Sina, Ningbo News