Reuters reports Stephen Chow is planning his next action comedy for the international market, which will be bigger than SHAOLIN SOCCER. He said, "I'll write and direct another film. It will be related to action. A story that happened in Hong Kong in the 1940s, 1950s." A script has been worked on and he will take one of the role. He also said some top Korean actresses might be considered for this project.

Click here for the full article

Thanks to Cass

Photo: SINA.COM

Two pictures have been posted today. The first one shows the crew making preparation for the next shot. You can see director of cinematography Christopher Doyle (wearing light grey jacket) was adjusting the camera. The other picture shows action director Ching Siu-tung and Jet Li taking a rest. Both pictures were taken last fall in Jiuzhaigou National Park.

Photo: Official Jet Li Website

Donnie Ye has made a five-project deal with Hong Kong's Emperor Multimedia Group and one of them is another remake of Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY, under the working title KUNG FU MASTER. He will take the role of Chen Zhen who has been played by Bruce Lee, Jet Li and himself (in the TV series) and will be the action director. Gordan Chan who just finished HIGHBINDERS with director. He will also be the action director for another four movies.

While being interviewed by Taiwan's Mun Sang Poh on location of SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, Donnie Yen mentioned may planned to launch THE GREEN HORNET the movie with Donnie Yen as Gato. The franchise has never left the ground after Jet Li turned down the role of Gato.

Donnie Yen has signed up for three movies with Miramax. Though not going to play in all of them, he will take the role of action director and director in some of them. In addition, he has been asked to direct the Japanese version of CHARLIE'S ANGELS and return as the action director of the sequel of SHURAYUKI-HIME (PRINCESS BLADE). Donnie Yen was the action director of SHURAYUKI-HIME. And he may even get a contract with a German studio.

Meanwhile Miramax has brought the North American distribution rights of all his movies made in Hong Kong and is ready to chop them up. Beware, once the Miramax version is out, it is illegal to sell and buy any imported original VCD and DVD.

Photo: SINA.COM

Right now Jackie Chan is chased by a group of reporters from Hong Kong and Taiwan. That is one reason there are so many SHANGHAI KNIGHTS news in recent days. Taiwan's United News reports Jackie Chan just finished a barn scene yesterday. Today they will move to the second location to shoot a train station scene, which will be in the beginning of the movie, and another scene at a mockup of the Buckingham Palace, which will be the ending of the movie.

Jackie Chan is a collector of pretty much everything and he wants to build a museum of his collections. The revenue will all be donated to charities. He even lent an antique pocket watch he brought in Prague to Owen Wilson for him to use in the movie.

Next month, they will move to London and then Calgary Canada to finish the shooting.

More entries of Jackie Chan's diary have been added on the official Jackie Chan site (click here) However, April 7's and May 2's entries are the same. Access Hollywood just did a report on this movie with some very short interview with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. Once again, Jackie Chan expressed his interest of staring in a pure drama and said RUSH HOUR 3 and 4 were definitely a go (they will very likely be filmed simultaneously). It also showed Jackie Chan practicing moves with a vegetable cart, Jackie Chan with a small child (Aaron Johnson?), and a few shots of Prague.

Thanks to Marie Mullowney

Today's picture shows a lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park. The first video report from the set of CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE is up on Extra. Early November last year, snow started to fall when much of the shooting in Jiuzhaigou was done.

Photo: Official Jet Li Website

The first video report from the set of CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE is up on Extra.

Click here for the video

Click here for the writing report

More entries of Jackie Chan's diary have been added on the official Jackie Chan site (click here) However, April 7's and May 2's entries are the same. Access Hollywood just did a report on this movie with some very short interview with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. Once again, Jackie Chan expressed his interest of staring in a pure drama and said RUSH HOUR 3 and 4 were definitely a go (they will very likely be filmed simultaneously). It also showed Jackie Chan practicing moves with a vegetable cart, Jackie Chan with a small child (Aaron Johnson?), and a few shots of Prague.

Thanks to Marie Mullowney

Hou Hsiao-hsien	Shu Qi

After Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou, Hou Hsiao-hsien is about to become the third artistic director making martial art films. According to China's New Daily, Hou Hsiao-hsien has planned to make XIA NÜ (HSIA NU / HEROINE?) based on a Tang Dynasty short novel Nie Yin Niang. Do not get confused. This one is not related to the 1969 classic XIA NÜ (A TOUCH OF ZEN) or the remake being planned by Hsu Feng. Shu Qi, who has worked with Hou in MILLENNIUM MAMBO, will play Nie Yin Niang.

Nie Yin Niang was a fantasy novel written by Pei Xing in the late 9th Century and was an early example of Chinese wuxia literature. The story started when General Nie's nine-year-old daughter Nie Yin Niang was kidnapped by a nun. Five years later, when Nie Yin Niang returned, the nun had trained her to a deadly killer. Later she was hired by the governor of Weibo to kill Liu Wu, governor of Chenxu. Liu Wu predicted Nie Yin Niang would shoot a magpie. Nie Yin Niang admired Liu Wu's magic and decided to protect Liu Wu against other assassins sent by the governor of Chengxu.

XIA NÜ will be a big-budget fantasy movie with lots of special effects. The script has done and shooting is expected to start later this year.

Photos: SINA.COM and Festival-Cannes.COM

Taiwan's United Evening News just visited Jackie Chan in Czech Republic. Set of a harbor factory warehouse was built inside an old warehouse outside of Prague. Jackie Chan has come out tons of moves using a big cross lock (?). The day before, Jackie Chan has been hanging up-side-down whole day to make the scene of he being dumped into a pond by the bad guys. Thought the water was guaranteed clean and a doctor was standing by, it still made him very sick. He said, "now its another lead Owen Wilson's turn to enjoy the rare taste". Jackie Chan has reportedly collected a personal record of US$17.5 million from the movie and if adding up bonus, the total number could be as high as 25 million.

Last night, Entertainment Tonight just showed the first behind-the-scene footage. Scenes include Jackie Chan fighting with Donnie Yen(?), Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson disguising as an Indian Prince and Sherlock Holmes, Jackie Chan fighting with two British guards in front of a fireplace, Queen Victoria's carriage (?) passing through a welcoming crowd, Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson and Fann Wong (played Jackie's little sister) hiding in a stable, and Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson fleeing the fire in a car. The program also mentioned Jackie Chan is posting video diary on the official site. Not sure this is correct, because so far only four writing diary are posted on the site. Marie Mullowney just reminded me Jackie Chan just added a few new diary on his official site. But for some reason the April 29 and 30 entries are the same.

Click here for the report by Entertainment Tonight 

Photo: United Evening News (Taiwan)

THE TOUCH has been scheduled to be released in the Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the late July and the première will be held on July 22 in Kong Kong. A promo tour in these regions is about to kick off. Meanwhile THE TOUCH has run into some problem in France. M6, the distributor has originally agreed to grab the French distribution right for US$2 million, might quit the deal. Reportedly, the disagreement is over the casting of Ben Chaplin and the distribution fee. While Michelle Yoeh has mentioned possible legal action against M6, producer Thomas Chung said there were other French distributors who also showed interest in the movie. M6 has refuse to comment.

Photos: The Star (Taiwan)

Dark Horizons just posted a scan of the poster of THE TRANSPORTER shown up in Cannes. Directed by Corey Yuen and Louis Leterrier, this is the latest movie came out from Luc Besson's EuropaCorp. British actor Jason Statham played a professional courier, whose life suddenly turned up-side-down when he broke the rule of never-ask-what-he-is-delivering. According to UpComingMovies.COM, the cargo was very like a truck-load of illegal- immigrants and Shu Qi played one of them. Written by Luc Besson and and Robert Mark Kamen, this one will feature some very promising choreography by Jet Li's long-time partner Corey Yuen. The movie will be distributed by 20th Century Fox in North American on September 20. SO CLOSE (formerly known as VIRTUAL TWILIGHT), an other movie directed by Corey Yuen recently, will also be released sometime this year by SONY.

Photos: StarEastNet.Com

Chow Yun-fat cutting cake on the set

Chow Yun-fat just celebrated his 47th birthday on May 18. After an on-set party, he went to a local Chinese restaurant to continue the celebration. Among gifts he received, there are an antique Polaroid camera, a camera case, a light meter, a magnifier, and a talking monk action figure.

He said earlier they made a few shots at a snowy mountain lake. The temperature was so low, he said he had solid frozen before the shooting started and Sean William Scott even passed out during an action scene.

Chow Yun-fat will go to the States next month to prepare for the upcoming MEN OF DESTINY. Set in the background of the construction of America's first transcontinental railroad, MEN OF DESTINY with reunite Chow Yun-fat with John Woo. While Chow Yun-fat will play a Chinese worker, Nicolas Cage will portrait an Irish worker.

Other pictures:

Chow Yun-fat and wife: A B, party on the set: A, dinning out: A B C

Photos: StarEastNet.Com

	VISIBLE SECRET 2 After the success of last year's VISIBLE SECRET, director Ann Hui returns. The story is about how a newly wed couple's life changed forever after the wife was mysteriously stroke by a car. The movie will be released in Hong Kong on June 20. Trailer (Windows Media): Teaser Full Official Site
	THE EYE A young girl's eyesight is restored after receiving a pair of donated corneas. Soon after, she starts to someone other than humans... The movie has been released in Hong Kong on May 6. Trailer 1: QuickTime Real  Trailer 2: QuickTime Real  Official Site

Photos: Mmedia Aasia and MOV3.COM

	Countdown to HERO

HERO has been set to be released in China on December 20. Since in China the exact release dates have rarely been given this early, I would guess this is probably the date people in Asia, North America or even Europe are waiting for. In North America, it probably will have a gradually expanding type of release just like what SONY did for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

Roland Leppi just sent in a SHANGHAI KNIGHTS on-location photo. You can see Chon and Roy standing in the street of "London" with a ten-year old street urchin played by young actor Aaron Johnson. According to IMDB, Aaron Johnson's role is Charlie Chaplin! If he is really playing THE Charlie Chaplin whose real name is Charles Chaplin, the time should be in the year 1899 because Charlie Chaplin was born in 1889. But according to the official site, the time is 1888. However, according to Jackie Chan's diary on his official site, there is a car scene in the movie. This will set the time no early than the 1890's, in which cars or wagons with engines started to be produced in mass. Also according to IMDB, Gemma Jones was cast to play Queen Victoria. This will set the time no later than 1901, the year when she died.

Thanks to Roland Leppi

Today's photo	Two Terra-Cotta warrior figures with distinctive hairstyles

Today's photo shows Jet Li with his "hair" ready to go. The other two pictures shows two Terra-Cotta warrior figures from the The First Emperor's mausoleum. Though their hairstyles are not exactly same as the one on Jet Li's head, they do proof our hero's hair is done very historically accurately.

Follow-up Report

Another photo has just been posted on the Official Japan site, which showing the shooting location in Jiuzhaigou National Park was crowed with crew members and bystanders. Click here

Photos: Official Jet Li Website and TravelChinaGuide.COM

Cheng Pei-pei (left) and daughter Marsha Yuen (right) on the beach of Cannes

The digitally reinstalled version of Show Brothers' BIG DRUNK HERO (a.k.a. DA ZUI XIA / COME DRINK WITH ME) has been shown at Cannes. Cheng Pei-pei, who played Golden Swallow in the movie made in 1966 but is best known for playing Jade Fox in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, took her daughter Marsha Yuen to Cannes. She said a remake of the movie is in planning and the money problem has already been solved. Her daughter who has been under training of the northern style of martial art, is now ready to play her mother's role in the remake.

More pictures:

Cheng Pei-pei and her daughter Marsha Yuen in Cannes A  B C

Cheng Pei-pei and Vueh Hua in the original BIG DRUNK HERO

photo: Oriental Daily

More bad news for Jackie Chan's THE ACCIDENTAL SPY. UpComingMovies.COM just reported the movie will skip cable altogether and have a TV première in February 2003 on UPN. THE ACCIDENTAL SPY was shot in 2000 and VCD and DVD from Asia have been in the market for over a year. Luckily, we will not miss Jackie Chan on the big screen. He got one movie in the can (THE TUXEDO), one being canned (HIGHBINDERS), one on the production line (SHANGHAI KNIGHTS), and at least five in planning (TITANIUM RAIN, RUSH HOUR 3, NOSEBLEED, THE BELLBOY, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS ...).

Thanks to Cass Fung

Here are two pictures of Jackie Chan receiving the Taurus Honorary Achievement Award. The first one is he holding his Taurus on location of SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, and the second one is another shot of the award ceremony. More pictures can be found on

the official World Stunt Awards 2002 site.

photo: World Stunt Awards Official Site

Thanks to Debbie, Ikoter and Marie Mullowney.

Kung Fu Magazine just posted an exclusive Quentin Tarantino.

Click here for the interview

Right after the interview was conducted, Donnie Yen went back to Hong Kong to meet several top executives from Emperor Media Group. There are at least six projects are waiting for him. And Quentin Tarantino is about to start making the much highly anticipated KILL BILL in Beijing. Don't get confused. Donnie Yee is will not be in KILL BILL.

Thanks to Cass Fung 

(Right) Chow Yun-fat and Sean William Scott running in the street of Toronto

Hong Kong's Ming Pao just post a new picture of BULLETPROOF. You can see Chow Yun-fat (right) and Sean William Scott (left) running in the street of Toronto.

Photo: Ming Pao

	(left) Wong Kar-wai (below) Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Wong Faye, Lau Kar-ling, Chang Chen and Kimura Takuya.

Even though the re-shooting of 2046 has yet started, Wong Kar-wai is currently selling the distribution rights with the delivery date set in May next year. So far only Wong Kar-wai has some clue of what this movie all about, or does he?

Chinese actress Gong Li did not make to the cast list only because she was planning to have a baby. But until now, her baby is still in planning and Wong Kar-wai has planned another movie about a love story, just for Gong Li.

Photos: SINA.COM

Click here for today's photo. It is another shot of Jiuzhaigou National Park.

Click here for 15 on-location pictures posted on Tiscali's Czech Republic site. Click here for the original article in Czech.

Review: KILL BILL  (Positive, Minor Spoilers)

Female lead Zhao Wei, cinematographer Christopher Doyle and director Zhang Yuan.

Shooting of director Zhang Yuan's new film GREEN TEA is about to begin, according to Beijing Tims' report. It tells a story of how Wu Fang, a highly educated girl, search for her sole-mate. She believes in want her friend Lang Lang said - love can be predicted by a cup of tea. Chen Mingliang, a guy Wu Fang is dating with, believes there are only two types of girls - jungle type and Roman type. Jungle type girls will make men lose their ways and Roman type girls will make men lose themselves. Later he finds out their love life is somehow connected the tea Wu Fang is drinking every time they meet. They are tea leaves in the cup and the mysterious Lang Lang is the water. How the tea leaves rotate, sink or float is up to the water.

After 1999's GUO NIAN HUI JIA (SEVENTEEN YEARS), Zhang Yang has made I LOVE YOU and JIANG JIE, a Peking opera film. Wong Kar-wai's long-time buddy Christopher Doyle has flown to Beijing to be Zhang Yang's cameraman. Looks like the shooting of 2046 is still not hundred percent scheduled. Zhao Wei is playing both Wu Fang and Lang Lang and Jiang Wen will very likely to take the role of Chen Mingliang.

Photo: Beijing Times

Reuters reports shooting of Quentin Tarantino's long-awaited KILL BILL will kick-off in Beijing next month. David Carradine has replaced Warren Beatty as Bill and Quentin Tarantino is preparing to play Pei Mei, the role previously attached to Yuen Wo-ping. Yuen will still work as the action director. Production will continue in Tokyo, London and Los Angeles.

Click here for today's photo.

(Top) Today's photo (Right) From another angle

Today's photo shows the set has been used during the filming on the far side. Closer to the camera is a small southern Chinese town in the architectural style from the Ming and Qing Dynasty (at last 1,500 hundred years after the time in the film). It was not used during the filming.

The other picture shows the same set from a different angle. The king's palace compound in the middle and on the left and the right, are two city scenes from different kingdoms. The picture was taken from the main gate of the king's palace, which can been seen from three previews photos (see May 17's report).

Photo: Official Jet Li Website and Zhejiang Travel 

By REUTERS/Jim Ruymen

Actor Jackie Chan thanks members of the audience in Prague via satellite after he received the Taurus Honorary Achievement Award for Acting in Action Films during the 2002 World Stunt Awards in Santa Monica, California, May 19, 2002. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who presented the award looks on upper left. The nominees were selected from films released in 2001, with top honors going to stunt professionals from "The Fast and the Furious," "Rush Hour 2" and "A Knights Tale." (The award ceremony will be aired on Friday, May 31st at 8:00 pm EST/PST on the ABC)

TAURUS02 (World Stunt Awards 2002) Official Site

photo: Reuters

Thanks to Marie Mullowney, Lisa C. and Stanley for the advance alert of this event

Follow-up Report: RUSH HOUR 2 Won Three Taurus Awards (TAURUS02 Official Site)

Jackie Chan's RUSH HOUR 2 has won three awards last night - Best Fight, Best High Work and Best Specialty Stunt.

Click here for detail

Thanks to Marie Mullowney

Zhang Zyiyi	Adam Sandler	Lou Ye	Liu Ye

We know Zhang Ziyi has signed on to star in PURPLE BUTTERFLY, but this does not mean the end of GOOD COOK, LIKE MUSIC. Made his way to Cannes, Adam Sandler told Taiwan's Mun Sang Poh, "I''m getting married and the bride is Zhang Ziyi".

Meanwhile shooting of PURPLE BUTTERFLY, the second film from director Lou Ye, will start next month in Shanghai. The film is set in the 1930's and 40's Japanese occupied Shanghai and Zhang Ziyi will play an underground worker under cover of a social butterfly. Along with another underground worker, played by her former classmate Liu Ye at Central Drama Academy, they were planning to assassinate the head of Japanese secret police.

Photos: SINA.COM and Columbia Pictures

(Right) From left: Gwang Gam-pang, Leung Ka-fai, Maggie Cheung, Leung Chiu-wai and Stanley Tong,

Clueless in 2046

During the news conference held by Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Leung Chiu-wai said his role in 2046 has been changed several times and the newest role, which he just knew yesterday, was a writer from the 1960's who was writing a novel called 2046 and was sharing some love-triangle, or something like that, with the characters played by Wong Faye and Chang Chen. Sitting right next to him, Maggie Cheung said she had a general idea of the plot and her role. Not In Cannes, Zhang Ziyi is promoting L'Oréal's Maybelline in Singapore. She said she was in front of the camera for four hours and still had no clue of what she was playing.

(Right) Chow Yun-fat and Sean William Scott

Bulletproof in Cannes without the Monk

A news conference of BULLETPROOF MONK will be held in Cannes this morning. Sean William Scott and James King will attend but Chow Yun-fat stays in Toronto. Taiwan's Mun Sang Poh reports some mockup mountain has been built inside a soundstage. Chow Yun-fat is wearing a tightly buckled jacket protecting the sacred sutra tattooed on his body. During the final fight scene, he will remove the jacket and unveil the sutra.

Photos: StarEastNet.Com, Mun Sang Poh and

After pushing theatrical release twice and one disaster screen test, Miramax is no long planning to show THE LEGEND OF ZU, renamed as ZU WARRIORS by Miramax, on the big screen in North America. According to Upcomingmovies.com, it will likely go straight to video sometime this year. Jackie Chan's THE ACCIDENTAL SPY, which was made in 2000, will also skip theaters and go straight to video on August 13, 2002. Both of them are Miramax's re-edited versions of the original.

Today's photo	Yesterday's photo	One of May 3's photos	A close-up shot

Today's photo is the third shot of the same location. 

Photo: Official Jet Li Website and Hengdian Film & TV City

Review on Miramax's Editing: SHAOLIN SOCCER (Mixed, Major Spoliers)

This is a short summary of what Miramax has done to SHAOLIN SOCCER, not a review of the actually movie.

Today's photo	One of May 3's photos	A close-up shot of four dragons right in front of the king's main hall

Today's photo is another shot of filming at the main gate of the king's palace (or the main gate of the capital of Qin, Xianyang - really up to the director). It was take on the steps of the king's main hall, which located on the other side of the square. They are all part of the set compound inside Hengdian Film & TV City.

Photo: Official Jet Li Website and Dongyang Municipal Government

Four jurors: Michelle Yeoh, Sharon Stone, David Lynch (President), and Christine Hakim

The 55th Cannes Film Festival just opened today. Two years ago, Michelle Yeoh went to Cannes to promote CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON; last year, she was there doing fundraising for THE TOUCH; and this year, she returns as a juror with a mission of raising money for THE TOUCH sequel. Maggie Cheung and Zhou Xun (BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS), Leung Chiu-wai, Leung Ka-fai (DOUBLE VISION) and Stanley Tong (director of SUPER COP and RUMBLE IN THE BRONX) are also attending this year's festival. Thou not officially part of the festival, the Hong Kong Night will return this year. It will be held on May 18 under the title of New Montage from the East. Besides THE TOUCH, 

Feature Films in Competition: UNKNOWN PLEASURES (Director: Jia Zhangke)

Un Certain Regard:

BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS (Director: Dai Sijie)

DOUBLE VISION (Director: Chen Kuo-fu)

KU QI DE NÜ REN (A CRYING WOMAN) (Director: Liu Bingjian)

TEN MINUTES OLDER (Director: Chen Kaige Aki Kaurismäki, Spike Lee, various directors, Victor Erice, Werner Hherzog, Jim Jarmusch)

Short Films: TAI TAI (Director: Nicholas Chin)

Movies do not make it to Cannes: BIG SHOT'S FUNERAL (Feng Xiaogang), HERO (Zhang Yimou), HEROES OF THE HEAVEN AND EARTH (He Ping), THE MISSING GUN (LOOKING FOR MY GUN) (Lu Chuan), I'M WITH YOU (Chen Kaige) ...

Photo: SINA.COM

China's Southern City reports that Zhang Ziyi has finally nodded to PURPLE BUTTERFLY, after the rumor of linking her to the project started to spread five months ago. This may means no more mail-order bride for Adam Sandler's GOOD COOKS, LIKE MUSIC and one less chamber maid for J. Lo.'s THE CHAMBER MAID, at least for this year. The movie will be helmed by young director Lou Ye who had his directing début, SUZHOU RIVER, two years ago. Zhang Ziyi said, "(her character) is not easy to handle. (It is) quite different from SUZHOU RIVER. Characters and plot are more complicated. Its can't be summarized in a few words. There are love and conflict between my characters and two men. (She) is probably a spy in the 1930's. I like Lou Ye. (I) have seen his SUZHOU RIVER. (I) know he gives actors a lot of freedom and he has his own way of thinking as a director. I trust him." Shooting of PURPLE BUTTERFLY will start in Shanghai next year.

Photo: SINA.COM

Bill Clinton watching a terra-cotta warrior

Three years ago, Bill Clinton went to Xi'an, one of China's old capitals, and visited the terra-cotta warriors of The First Emperor's mausoleum. According to China Press, a Chinese language paper in the US, a movie called BILL'S CURSE, inspired by Bill's trip, is in planning. Budgeted at 10 million US dollars, it has a story ike this: a sword with a curse of which the first foreign monarch visiting the capital will trigger disasters. 22 centuries later Bill Clinton (obviously, he is some sort of foreign monarch) accidentally enables the curse and the world is about to end. The production companies, Xian Film Studios and American Cultural Broadcasting Co., are hoping to cast Jet Li, Zhang Ziyi and the real Bill Clinton. Just finished HERO, with the story about the same First Emperor, Li and Zhang are not so easily to get. And of cause, getting the real Bill is also a long shot.

Photo: CNN

Sammo Hung's newest movie THE HIDDEN ENFORCERS (formerly known as SUMMER KILLERS and KILLER DRAGONS) will be released in Hong Kong tomorrow. Sammo Hung played a retired cop who trained four teenagers to do what the judiciary system failed to do. Over a decade after, he returned to Hong Kong with his four killers to hunt down a crime boss...

QuickTime

Windows Media

Real (stream)

Real (download)

					Photos: Hong Kong Film's Web and MOV3.COM

In his diary (see the following news), Jackie Chan wrote he had been approached by his manager and the director and producer of SHANGHAI KNIGHTS with a new project called AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Though still waiting for the script, Jackie Chan wrote, " I like the idea of traveling to nine different countries to make this film." and "just the title makes me excited because I know that there is so much you can come up with given the scope of the story."

Photo: Official Jackie Chan Site

The official Jackie Chan website just posted an almost entire month of Jackie Chan's diary.  Go here (click a date number on the calendar for each day's diary)

Thanks to Marie Mullowney

(Left) Director Zhang Yimou on location in Dangjin Mountains of the Silk Road.

Zhang studied cinematography at Beijing Film Academy in the early 1980's and worked as the cinematographer on four movies directed by China's "fifth generation directors", including Cheng Kaige's directing début YELLOW EARTH. Even with Christopher Doyle on board to control the camera, Zhang still obsessed on controlling every single frame would be printed on celluloid.

Photo: Official South Africa Jet Li Website

Richard Sorge (1895 - 1944)	Jeremy Irons

Richard Sorge, one of the greatest spy of all time, will finally get his own big screen treat this year. According to Shanghai Film Studios, shooting of SORGE, a Chinese, German and Japanese joint-production, will start very soon. British actor Jeremy Irons is the front runner for the leading role.

Richard Sorge was born in Russia in 1895 and jointed the German army during the first world war. Later he secretly joined the German Communist Party and while working in Japan in 1933, he was recruited as a Soviet Agent. Working inside the German Embassy in Tokyo, he sent Stalin warnings about signing of Anti-Comintern Pact (1936), signing of German-Japanese Pact (1940), German invasion of the Soviet Union (1940), Japan's decision of not invading the Soviet Union rather expanding its war in the Asia-pacific (1941), and the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941). He was arrested by the Japanese in October 18, 1941 and was hung in November 11, 1944, after Stalin refused to exchange him for Japanese prisoners held by the Soviet.

The movie will capture Richard Sorge's life, starting from WWI trenches to the gallows in Tokyo. It will be helmed by Japanese director Shinoda Masahiro and the shooting will take place in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Berlin. Shooting in Shanghai will start early next month. 

Photos: Spartacus Educational  and Twentieth Century Fox

Today's photo, posted at the official France site, shows a pavilion (not a pagoda!) built on  Cold Bamboo Sea (lake) in Jiuzhaigou National Park of Sichuan Province. The other picture, from Chengdu Daily, shows the same pavilion with doubles of Jet Li (right), Leung Chiu-wai (middle) and Maggie Cheung (left). Don't bother to go there looking for the pavilion. It has been torn down right after the shooting wrapped up.

Photos: Official Jet Li Website and Chengdu Daily

Mister Gil wrote a review of the Miramax edition of THE LEGEND OF ZU, or more accurately, a review of Miramax's editing of THE LEGEND OF ZU.

Review: THE LEGEND OF ZU (Extremely Negative, Nothing but Spoilers)

Thanks to N. Koch

Months ago, when Quentin Tarantino was in Beijing making preparation for his upcoming KILL BILL, he secretly visited the sets of THE TOUCH. Peter Pau, the director of THE TOUCH, told Chengdu Daily that Tarantino highly praised their production and said they had made something which would usually cost sixty to seventy million dollars to make in the Hollywood with only twenty million dollars. Under the Tarantino "lobbying" people from Miramax wrote Michelle Yeoh an eight-figure check for the North American distribution right after only watched a clip of the movie. Peter Pau also said THE TOUCH was not a traditional martial art film and it only contains less than 15 minutes of fighting scenes.

THE TOUCH's European Distribution will be handled by a French studio and its release date in the Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Southeast Asia has been set at late July. Meanwhile Michelle Yeoh will soon head to Cannes as one of the festival's juror and she will try to sell the sequel of THE TOUCH .

Photos: Photos : United News Net and SINA.COM

Maggie Cheung (left) and Zhang Ziyi (right) walking out of Jet Toon Films' office.

Wong Kar-wai is now working on restarting the shooting of his long overdue 2046, or more accurately, scraping everything he has done and making a new one also called 2046. Last night in Hong Kong, Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi have tried out the their characters newly designed for them at the headquarters of Wong Kar-wai's Jet Tone Films (note: in Chinese, the company's name is Ze Dong or Tze Tung, the given name of Chairman Mao).

2046 is a futuristic drama, set in the year, 2046. In addition to Cheung and Zhang, the cast also includes Leung Chiu-wai, Wong Faye, Takuya Kimura, Chang Chen and  Lau Kar-ling (Carina).

Photos: Photos : Oriental Daily

A new poster of THE TOUCH (left) has been released Today's photo.  The one on the right is the teaser poster from a year ago. Meanwhile, don't forget to check out the official site. Michelle Yeoh's diary of her experience on locations in Tibet and Dunhuang is up and a special tribute to Lung Sihung has been added. 

(Left) The newest poster

(Right) The teaser poster from a year ago

Photos: Photos : United News Net  and Apple Daily

Variety reports California based company The Orphanage and Tweak have been hired to do CG works for HERO, in addition to Australia firm Animal House. The Orphanage, started by three former ILM artists, is creating about 133 f/x shots for the film.

Click here to read the Variety article

Production Report: 'A Visit to the Set of CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE'

Today's photo, posted at the official site, features a wooden screen carved with writings (sorry, don't have translation yet). It is part of the king's office, built inside Hengdian Film & TV City. The other picture is from SINA.COM, which shows a corner of the office with two other wooden screens.

(Left) the 10th photo

(Right) Another picture of the same set

Photos: Official Jet Li Website and SINA.COM

Yutaka Takenouchi is excited about playing a samurai in a Jackie Chan movie

Hong Kong's Oriental Daily reports that Japanese actor Yutaka Takenouchi is in talk with Hong Kong's Media Asia for playing a Japanese samurai in the upcoming sci-fi action starring Jackie Chan. Media Asia is also in talk with Whoopi Goldberg for the role of a scientist. Experienced Hong Kong cinematographer Ma Cho-sing (Jingle) (Jingle) (FONG SAI-YUK, DRUNKEN MASTER 2, RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, COMRADE, ALMOST A LOVE STORY) will helm this movie, in which Jackie Chan will play a Ming Dynasty warrior traveling through time. Budgeted at US$45 million, this movie will be the most expensive Asian production.

Photos: Asahi Life and Oriental Daily

(Top) the 9th photo
(Right) Same location from another angle.

Today's photo, posted at the official Japan site, shows a narrow path along the shore of Cold Bamboo Sea (lake) in Jiuzhaigou National Park of Sichuan Province. A small portion of a half bridge can been seen at the bottom-left corner of the picture. The other picture, from Chengdu Daily, shows the rest of the half bridge and a pavilion built by the crew. You can see Jet Li (left) and Leung Chiu-wai (right) (or their doubles) were "wired" while Maggie Cheung's double lying "wounded" inside the pavalion.

Photos: Official Jet Li Website and Chengdu Daily

China's Southern City reports, KUNG-FU MAN WOMAN, suppose to be an old-fashion martial art movie, has been halted, because it is still short in fund and it does not sell very well in the United States. Andy Lau has picked up another script, which is very similar to his RUNNING OUT OF TIME and FULLTIME KILLER. He said, "we has done the market research. The American don't like this kind of (old fashion) kung-fu movies, but movies like RUNNING OUT OF TIME will sell much better, and will have market in Europe."

Photo: SINA.COM

Leung Chiu-wai	Leung Chiu-wai and Yip Man's son Yip Jeun	Leung Chiu-wai and Wong Kar-wai

Even with 2046 still half-baked, Wong Kar-wai has added another project to his schedule - YAT DOI JUNG SI (YI DAI ZONG SHI / translation: THE MASTER), a biopic of Bruce Lee's master Yip Man. Leung Chiu-wai will play the role of  Yip Man, which has been turned down by Stephen Chow four years ago. To prepare for this role, Leung Chiu-wai will start a four to six-month training of Yip Man's martial art style called Ving Tsun and he has to give up sex during this period of time.  

Photos: Oriental Daily, The Sun (Hong Kong), and StarEastNet.Com

(Left) Still from THE TOUCH: Michelle Yeoh and Lung Sihung

(Right) At a very short THE TOUCH press conference: Michelle Yeoh (second from the right), Brandon Chang (second from the left) and Thomas Chung (right).

Photos: Oriental Daily and StarEastNet.Com

L.A. Times just posted a new still from Jackie Chan's THE TUXEDO as part of its Sneaks 2002 Gallery. Interesting, the tuxedo is suppose to be responsible for all Jackie Chan's stunts, but in this picture he is not wearing the tuxedo.

Unofficial site: Dreamworks Fan Site

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Thanks to Marie Mullowney

(Top) the 8th photo
The other three were posted on the sites of Xinhua News Agency and Nanfang Daily last year.

Today's photo, posted at the official Russia site, features hundreds of foot soldiers standing on the battlefield. Some war scenes were shot in Danjin Mountain of Akesay County (Gansu Province) last August and September.

Photos: Official Jet Li Website and Nanfang Daily

The seventh HERO photo has been released at the official Jet Li Website. This time it is director Zhang Yimou's turn. Judging from the sky, and the hat and sunglasses he was wearing, I say the picture was taken either in Dunhuang of Gansu Province or the Inner Mongolia. Someone is behind Zhang Yimou wearing full costume. I guess it was Jet Li!

Photos: Official Jet Li Website

Jet Li wearing a head band bearing the name of the kingdom - "Qin"*.	(Left) Close-up of the character "Qin" (Middle) "Qin" in Xiao Zhuan (Right) "Qin" in modern Chinese.

The sixth HERO photo has been released at the official Australia Jet Li Website. It is a close-up shot of Jet Li wearing a head band with the name of the kingdom "Qin" on the forehead. The Chinese character is written in an ancient style called Xiao Zhuan, which appeared in the state of Qin during the 3rd Century B.C. "Qin" sometimes is translated as "Chin" although the character is not quite pronounced as "Chin". Some historians believe the word "China" actually originated from "Qin".

Photos: Official Jet Li Website

The official SHANGHAI KNIGHTS site is up with the storyline and the first two parts of Jackie Chan's Set Diary, and only a batch of old pictures from the previous movies are available. According to the official site, it will be released this fall but just several days earlier, UpComingMovies.com reported the date is December 13.

Thanks to Lisa and Marie Mullowney

Goats along side of a highway. Either on location of Dunhuang of Gansu Province or the Inner Mongolia.	Scenery of Jiuzhaigou (Nine Villages Valley) National Park of Sichuan Province. It is probably Jianzhuhai (Cold Bamboo Sea), one of dozens lakes of Jiuzhaigou. (click here for more)	Christopher Doyle (Director of Cinematography) in the middle. (Location: Jiuzhaigou)	Christopher Doyle (middle), action Director Ching Siu-tung (?) (right) and an unidentified crewmember (left). (Location: Jiuzhaigou)	Main entrance of the king's palace. Located in Hengdian FIlm & TV City of Zhejiang Province, the set was originally built for THE EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN. (IT IS NOT A CASTLE) (Click here for a closer shot)

The official Jet Li website just posted the first five pictures as promised. Unfortunately, the original commentary attached to each picture is either incomplete or incorrect. I have added my own commentaries to them (see the above) and since more pictures are coming each week, please make sure to check back to my site.

Photos: Official Jet Li Website

These two pictures show the last character Lung Sihung has played - a Tibetan lama (monk). To pay a tribute to him, his voice recorded on the set will be used in the final print, even though someone has already been hired to dub his voice. He also played a Taoist monk in the upcoming DOUBLE VISION, a Taiwanese production financed by Columbia.

(left) Death of the monk

(right) Director Peter Pau gave Lung Sihung a massage on the set

Photo: StarEastNet.Com

While Chow Yun-fat is working on BULLETPROOF MONK in Toronto, his long-time partner John Woo has got the honor of leaving his hand print on Hollywood Boulevard on May 20. Of course, he called John immediately. Besides saying some congratulating words, he has complained about being "tortured" by Tung Wai, the movie's action choreographer. He said they were about to shoot some fight scene on a suspension bridge. Woo said he knew Tung Wai for decades and he is an excellent action director and safety would not be a big concern. After wrapping up BULLETPROOF MONK, he will concentrated on preparing for the highly anticipated Woo/Chow reunion - MEN OF DESTINY, set in the background of the construction of America's first transcontinental railroad.

Tung Wai, just won a Hong Kong Film Award for THE ACCIDENTAL SPY, has worked on over fifty movies. He was the original action director of HERO but was replaced by Ching Siu-tung on the set due to disagreement with director Zhang Yimou. (click her for complete list of movies Tung Wai has worked on)

Photos: SINA.COM

Lung Sihung (1930 - 2002)

Taiwanese actor Lung Sihung died from cirrhosis this morning in Taipei at the age of 72. Lung Sihung started his acting career in the 1950's and jointed Taiwan's Central Film in the 1970's, but he is best remembered as the leading man in Ang Lee's The Father Trilogy, PUSHING HANDS (left), THE WEDDING BANQUET and EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN. He also played Sir Te in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. His last on-screen performance is portraying a lama in Michelle Yoeh's THE TOUCH, which will be release this summer. Michelle Yeoh even invited him to join the cast of her next project HUA MULAN as Hua Mulan's father.

Lung Sihung's health deteriorated right after wrapping up THE TOUCH and he spent his final three weeks in hospital.

Photo: StarEastNet.Com

These pictures are posted on the website of a Prague set construction company called Film Dekor. Beside SHANGHAI NOON, they have worked on many other Hollywood movies shot in Prague, like BLADE II and THE BOURNE IDENTITY.

Thanks to LClem71304

Photos: Film Dekor

Wu Jing (left) demonstrate his kung-fu to the media Video 1 (3:49 - 6:21)	Lau Kar-leung plays an security escort. See the dagger on his stomach? Video 2 (0:00 - 3:38)

These two videos were shot by NetandTV.com on DRUNKEN MONKEY's location in Hengdian. DRUNKEN MONKEY is director Lau Kar-leung's first movie in ten years, Wu Jing's first one set in the time later than the 19th Century and his first one  will be released internationally, and the first wire-free and CG-free Chinese martial art film since CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. In this movie Wu Jing, trained by Jet Li's master with more northern style of Chinese martial arts, will use the southern style Hong Quan (Hong Fist) for the first time and try some drunken fist - to be the drunken monkey, he has to keep drinking all the time, on-screen of course.

Cast include Wu Jing, Yao Yao, Lau Kar-leung and his brothers Lau-fai and Lau Kar-wing, and Li Haitao, National Wushu Champion (fist). Production is currently underway in Hengdian and will move to Shanghai later. Shooting will be wrapped up in early June and the movie will be released in Asia around the coming Christmas.

Please use the latest version of Windows Media Player to watch the videos. Click here to download.

Photos: NetandTV.com

Thanks to Elhcay