Jackie Chan's THE MYTH Under Production In Shanghai (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

June 30, 2004

Shooting of Jackie Chan's The Myth has restarted at a production complex of Shanghai Film Studios. An opening ceremony was held yesterday, with Jackie Chan, director Stanley Tong, Hong Kong actor Leung Ka-Fai and Indian actress Mallika Sherawat. Jackie Chan will take two roles in the film - a modern day Indiana Jones type of archeologist and a Qin Dynasty (3rd Century B.C.) general Meng Yi. Mallika Sherawat will play Samantha, an ancient beauty. Korean actress Kim Hee-Sun, reportedly, is no longer attached to the project.

Jackie Chan Starts Working On LEGEND / MYTH With Director Stanley Tong (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 26, 2004

June 30, 2004

Click here for 8 movies released in June.

THE TWINS EFFECT 2 Photos (Tung Star / Sina.com)

June 29, 2004

More photos:

A  B  C

(Thanks to Marie M).

SMMF News 093 - Emi Wada's Costume Sketches (The Beijing News)

June 28, 2004

SMMF News 092 - New SHI MIAN MAI FU / HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS Poster (G-Film.com)

June 27, 2004

This poster is only available on the mainland side of China.

(Beijing New Pictures Films / Elite Group Enterprises Inc.)

More On Liu Ye and Meryl Streep's DARK MATTER (Variety / AFP)

June 26, 2004

According to Variety and AFP, the English title of the movie is Dark Matter and Chinese media call it Liu Xing (Shooting Star?). It is inspired by the true story of "a brilliant but disgruntled physics student from China who shot and killed six people at a university in the mid-western US state of Iowa in 1991." Chinese actor Liu Ye will play Gang Lu, a Chinese student "dreamed of winning the Nobel Prize but felt thwarted by campus politics, leading to a bloody rampage in which he also killed himself." Meryl Streep will play a wealthy university donor who befriends Gang Lu. Billy Shebar wrote the script, based on a story he wrote with Chen Shizheng, who will also direct. Production is scheduled to begin this fall in Utah.

(Thanks to Mark Singh)

Original report by Variety

Original report by AFP

MY CRAZY MOTHER!, William Hung's Movie Deal (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

June 26, 2004

The Drunken Master just sent me an early advance poster of My Crazy Mother !, the movie début of William Hung, from The American Idol. According to Chinese media, Hong Kong veteran actress Nancy Sit will play Hung's "crazy mother". The cast also includes Wong Yut-fei and Tin Kai-man, both are from Shaolin Soccer. The movie is produced by Hong Kong's Hui Huang Entertainment Production and shooting will begin August in the mainland China.

(Image: Hui Huang Entertainment Production)

The Indian Connection Of Jackie Chan's The Myth (Hindustan Times)

June 25, 2004

According to Hindustan Times, Indian actress Mallika Sherawat has been cast to play Jackie Chan's love interested in The Myth (working titile) directed by Stanley Tong.

Click here for the original report.

(Thanks to Sanjeev).

Jackie Chan Starts Working On LEGEND / MYTH With Director Stanley Tong (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 26, 2004

SMMF News 091 - Billboard Ads For The Beijing Première (Various)

June 24, 2004

(MonkeyPeaches.com)	(Ziyifan.com)	(Ziyifan.com)

Billboard ads for the premiere of Shi Mian Mai Fu / House Of Flying Daggers have started showing up on the streets of Beijing. The premiere, packed as a variety show, will be held at the Worker's Gymnasium on Saturday July 10.

SMMF News 090 - SHI MIAN MAI FU / HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS Trailer Ad (Sina.com)

June 23, 2004

(Beijing New Pictures Films / Elite Group Enterprises Inc.)

Trailer ad (unzip, then play with any internet browser)

Filming Of TIAN XIA WU ZEI / A WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES Wrapped Up (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

June 22, 2004

Front row: (L to R) Li Bingbing and Wang Baoqiang; back row: (L to R) You Yong, director Feng Xiaogang, Ge You, Andy Lau, Lam Ka-Tung and an unidentified cast member.	Andy Lau and Li Bingbing.	Director Feng Xiaogang interviewed on one of four mockup train cars.   More Photos: A, B, C.   (Sina.com / Beijing Times)

Tian Xia Wu Zei (A World Without Thieves) just ended its 65 day shooting yesterday in Beijing. Directed by China's most celebrated comedy director Feng Xiaogang (though tone of his films has become more and more serious), the film tells a story of one naive boy and a couple of thieves. The naive boy (Wang Baoqiang) does not believe there are thieves in the society and knows nothing about the fact that the train he takes is loaded with thieves. The woman thief (Rene Liu) is moved by his naiveness, and starts protect him from other thieves. Reluctant at first, her boyfriend (Andy Lau) eventually joins her to battle a power gang led by a master thief (Ge You)...

Related stories:

Andy Lau Arrived In Gansu For TIAN XIA WU ZEI (Gansu Daily) April 18, 2004

SMMF News 089 - 7 SHI MIAN MAI FU / HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS Stills (Tom.com)

June 21, 2004

June 21, 2004

Heath Ledger, mostly.

(Thanks to Mark Singh).

June 20, 2004

It follows the story of a nightclub band leader, who retired from judo arena years ago. A new kid comes for a challenge, a rival comes for a unfinished match, and a senior master comes for a chance of saving his failing judo club... Directed by Johnnie To, starring Aaron Kwok, Luis Koo, Leung Ka-Fai and Jordan Chan.

Official site

(For the trailer: click the word at the top-right corner and then word second from the left.)

(Thanks to Shan from Milkyway Image.)

SMMF News 088 - Many More Faces Of SHI MIAN MAI FU / HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

(Promotional Stills) (Tom.com)

June 19, 2004

June 18, 2004

June 17, 2004

(Beijing New Pictures Films / Elite Group Enterprises Inc. / photographed by Bai Xiaoyan).

After Anita Mui suddenly passed away, Song Dandan was brought in. Director Zhang Yimou did not delete Mui's character, but shifted most weight to Song, who played the leader or a leader of the House of Flying Daggers.

June 16, 2004

Chinese Filmmakers' Association just released the nomination list of this year's Hundred Flowers Awards. Only mainland Chinese movies and actors are eligible for the awards and winners will be selected through a poll of the general public.

Click here for the complete nomination list

June 15, 2004

According to Chinese media, Dion Lam resigned from the post of Action Director, and was replaced by Tung Wai. The official word is - his contract just expired. Two years ago, Tung Wai had some major disagreement with director Zhang Yimou on the set of Hero and was replaced by Ching Siu-Tung Also, a steel structure, called the Golden House of Cherry-Apple in the movie, built on location in Shangri-La County, has been declared "not safe" and the production team has returned to Beijing.

June 14, 2004

While Attending Shanghai International Film Festival, Meryl Streep told the Chinese media that she would star in small film by a Chinese American director (could be Wayne Wang?), called Liu Xing. She will play the president of a charity organization, who picks up some romance with a young Chinese student played by Liu Ye. Robert Redford will also take a small role in the film.

June 13, 2004

June 13, 2004

Jackie Chan cameos in The Twins Effect. (EMP)

Jackie Chan just talked to Fred Topel from About.com, apparently about his current and future projects. Besides Around The World In 80 Days, he has commented on several projects he will do, might do and will not do. He is in talk for doing Pink Panther but he has been lost in endless meetings. He still don't like Rush Hour franchise but he will do the third one - "a little bit serious" this time. His newest project, The Myth, not related to Titanium Rain and Time Breaker, he said, is "more like Indiana Jones", "not very technology" and "like an old fashioned story". In the movie, Jackie Chan's character, an archeologist, will "find the Ching Dynasty tomb (should be Qin or Chin Dynasty. a mistranslation)", "also help the American NASA do something" and he will "go to India". Jackie Chan also said he was not going to sell his New Police Story to any US distributor, because, presumably, he was afraid that it would not be treated properly.

Click here for the 3-page report (Thanks to Mark Singh and Marie M)

About The Myth, Korean actress Kim Hee-Sun has been cast to play the girl repeatedly showing up in Jackie Chan's dreams and Hugo Weaving will play the main valiant, according to an Korean newspaper. Title of the project is SO4 and it is budgeted at about US$30 million. The paper said Jackie Chan would get US$15 million (I don't think so) and Kim would get 1 million. Also according to the Korean paper, the script is penned by Wang Hui-Ling (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and the story is somewhat based on a Korean folklore. In the movie, Jackie Chan will play an ancient warrior and a modern day Indiana Jones. The Hong Kong part has been done last month and shooting will restart next month in Shanghai. Release has been targeted at next summer in over 60 Asian and European countries (no mention of North America).

Related story:

Jackie Chan Starts Working On LEGEND / MYTH With Director Stanley Tong (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 26, 2004

June 12, 2004

(Miramax Film)

I yawn.

Related story, sort of:

Faherenheit 9/11 got a turn around, but what about all Asian films they have imprisoned...

Harry Knowles, AICN (Thanks to "Paul" for the story)

June 12, 2004

Media Asia)

According to a note posted on HSX by D. Mac (aka. "Antibody"), MiramAxe has removed Infernal Affairs from September release.

Click here for the original report.

(Thanks to "Paul")

June 11, 2004

June 10, 2004

International trailer (Chinese)

June 9, 2004

			(Beijing New Pictures Films / Elite Group Enterprises Inc.)

International trailer

(Real Video / English / Chinese subtitle / 1:58)

Required: RealPlayer 8.0 or later.

(Thanks to "gooo3gle" for the trailer).

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Stills (Tom.com / Yahoo! Movies)

June 9, 2004

Do you like spoilers?

74 stills (Tom.com)

11 stills (Yahoo! Movies)

(Thanks to Marie M.)

June 8, 2004

(Shanghai Film Group / Sil Metropole Organisation / Cinezoic Film Studio)

Click here (Windows Media Video)

A villager is organizing the production of his own martial-art epic and everything is part of a plan to get the girl of his dream.

Written and produced by Sara Chen, Directed by Li Xin, starring John Lone, CoCo Lee, Tao Hong and Xia Yu, cinematography by Arthur Wong, action choreographed by Tung Wai, music by Hummie Mann.

June 7, 2004

Access to the official site (only the Traditional Chinese version is done)

Stills: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

More

(Thanks to Marie M)

June 6, 2004

The 7th Shanghai International Film Festival opened yesterday. 16 films from 13 countries, including two from China, Jasmine Women (formerly known as Jasmine Flower) and Shanghai Story, are in competition for grand prize, Golden Jue Award (Jue is a kind of wine cup in the ancient China). 10 other films are in Asian New Talent, a newly added category. The opening film is Bamboo Shoot from China and Clean, starring Maggie Cheung, will close the festival next Sunday.

Official site

June 5, 2004

Click here

June 4, 2004

According to Hong Kong paper Oriental Daily, John Woo is planning to do a historical epic based on part of classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. So far, Chow Yun-Fat is the first and the only one being named. Woo would not include or exclude any actor or actress from the future casting, although it will be a Chinese only cast. Written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th and 15th Century, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a grand scale book depicting the Chinese history in the 2nd and 3rd Century, during which China split into three kingdoms following the fall of Han Dynasty, and after decades of war and peace, reunified under a new dynasty, Jin.

It is not the first time John Woo expressed his wish to make the film and it will not happen in the very near future, because the preparation would take a while. Woo will do Spy Hunter for Universal first, with "The Rock" (click here for detail), and the a film for UN Children's Fund, along with eight other directors.

Woo said he might do a sequel to his Face/Off. News of a girl to get world's first face transplant has excited some script-hungry Hollywood producers.

June 4, 2004

Shooting of Ang Lee's cowboy love drama Brokeback Mountain has begun in Calgary.

Mountain men (Calgary Sun), by Kevin Williamson

'Mountain' of controversy for new gay-themed film (MSNBC), by Jeannette Walls

June 3, 2004

June 2, 2004

Click here for 3 behind-the-scene video clips and the first teaser trailer

Official site

(Thanks to Marie M)

June 1, 2004

According to Shanghai Evening Post, Francis For Coppola and Sofia Coppola have been in contact with Shanghai Film Studios over making a WW2 film together sometime next year. The idea is to let the father to produce and the daughter to direct.

June 1, 2004

According to a report by Kungfucinema.com, producers of the second sequel are after Steven Seagal to play the lead villain and Hong Kong actor Ekin Cheng, in some point Jackie Chan made him as his successor, is also reportedly being sought out for some role in the movie.

(Thanks to Shan 'EXCITED' Thornton.)