News Archives

 
 

June 2005

 

 

Actor Director Jiang Wen Plans His Third Directorial Effort - THE SUN RISES AGAIN (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 30, 2005

 

Jiang Wen (HTF)

After In the Heat of the Sun (1994) and Devils on the Doorstep (2000), Chinese actor Jiang Wen is getting ready to direct for the third time, with a project named Tai Yang Zai Ci Sheng Qi (literal: The Sun Rises Again). According to Beijing Youth Daily, the film will tell a group of total strangers meet on an ancient road, recalling the stories occurred on the road. The paper reports the cast will include Jaycee Chan, Rosamund Kwan and Yun Zhou. Shooting is scheduled to begin in October in Beijing and China's northwestern region Xinjiang.

 
 

 

The Making of SEVEN SWORDS Video Diaries (Sina.com)

 

 

June 29, 2005

 

(Mandarin Films)

Four exclusive clips are available at Sina.com:

 

Click here

 

(Thanks to jetliang.)

 

More about Seven Swords

 
 

 

2046 Official US Site Opens Today (Sony Pictures Classics)

 

 

June 28 2005

 

(Sony Pictures Classics)

Click here: www.2046film.com

 

(Thanks to Alexis Moore of Sony Pictures Classics.)

 

 
 

 

Casting News for Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (...)

 

 

June 28 2005

 

Jet Li and director Ronny Yu.
(Shanghai Youth Daily)

Japanese actor Shidou Nakamura is set to play a Judo champion, who will meet the challenge from Huo Yuanjia, played by Jet Li. Reportedly, the cast will also include Michelle Yeoh Collin Chou, and another Japanese actor Masato Harada.

 

(Thanks to jetliang.)

 

 

Related Stories:

Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA Will Go to the Mountains (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 31, 2005

Plot Description of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 1, 2005

Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA Got a Major Script Overhaul by HERO Writer (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 30, 2005

Another Round of Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (The Beijing News) April 26, 2005

Even More Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (JetLiang.com) April 24, 2005

Two More Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (Sina.com / BigStar) April 23, 2005

Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (The Beijing Morning Post) April 21, 2005

Spy Photos from Set of Jet Li's Huo Yuanjia Biopic (Shanghai Youth Daily) April 7, 2005

 
 

 

Zhang Yimou Wants Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li for his Third Martial-Art Piece? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 27, 2005

 

Zhang Yimou

Chow Yun-Fat Gong Li
(Block 2 Pictures / Shanghai Film Group Corp.,?)

According to a Chinese newspaper called East Asia Economy and Trade News, Chow Yun-Fat is in talk to star in director Zhang Yimou's untitled third martial-art film, which is rumored to be set in Tang Dynasty, same as House of Flying Daggers. Gong Li, who took the lead in Zhang's first seven films, was mentioned for the role of Empress Wu Zetian, China's only female monarch. According to a separate report, the new film will focus more on the story and will have more characters than Zhang's previous two martial-art films. Several locations in China has been pre-selected and much of the film will be shot indoor in Beijing. Production is scheduled to start sometime next year.

 
 

 

SPL (SHA PO LANG) Promotional Stills (CinemAsie.com)

 

 

June 26, 2005

 

(ABBA Movies Company Limited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for more

 

Related Stories:

SPL (SHA PO LANG) Trailer (DonnieYen.net) March 18, 2005

Sammo Hung Vs. Donnie Yen In SHA PO LANG (DonnieYen.net) October 31, 2004

More About SHA PO LANG (DonnieYen.us) September 23, 2004

Stills Of SHA PO LANG, A New All-Star Hong Kong Martial-Art Production (DonnieYen.net / hkfilmart.com) September 11, 2004 

(Thanks to "DingDing" of KFstar.com)

More about Seven Swords

 
 

 

More SEVEN SWORDS Promotional Stills (Sina.com)

 

 

June 25, 2005

 

(Mandarin Films)

Sina.com has prepared over 100 promotional stills:

page 1

page 2

page 3

page 4

page 5

page 6

page 7

 

(Thanks to "kington" of DYN.)

 

More about Seven Swords

 
 

 

Sony Pictures Is Negotiating BATTLE OF THE RED CLIFF (Screen Daily)

 

 

June 25, 2005

 

L to R: Terence Chang, John Woo and Dong Ping, President of Asian Union Film.

(The Beijing News)

Producer Terence Chang recently told Screen Daily that he is in advanced negotiations with Sony Pictures for worldwide rights outside the greater China and Japan for John Woo’s historical drama Battle of Red Cliff, jointly produced by Chang and Woo’s Lion Rock Productions, Beijing based Asian Union Film as well as China Film Group. Asian Union and China Film will handle the film’s distribution in the mainland China, CMC Entertainment Group will probably partner with 20th Century Fox to distribute it in Taiwan, and the Japanese rights has already sold to Rentrack, with team up with a studio for the theatrical release. Distributor for the city Hong Kong is unknown. 

 

Woo intents to bring a team of LA talent, from assistant directors to art department and visual effects, to the Shanghai shoot, which has boosted the budget from US$36 million to US$50m. Chang said people from Sony Pictures didn’t flinch when he talked about the budget.

 

Woo’s plan of remaking Jean Pierre Melvilleˇs Red Circle for Paramount is developing very slowly and he is considering doing Red Cliff first, probably starting in the summer of 2006. Chang reconfirmed Chow Yun-fat’s appearance in the project but did not say which character he would play. He also said “the female lead billed as ‘the most beautiful woman in China,’ was yet uncast.“

 

Battle of Red Cliff will be based on part of classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which dramatically chronicled three regimes once ruled China from the 2nd Century to the 3rd Century. Occurred in 208 AD, Red Cliff was a decisive battle, in which two warlords, Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated the invading northern warlord Cao Cao (click here for more).

 

 

(Thanks to "Paul".)

 

More about Battle Of Red Cliff

 
 

 

SEVEN SWORDS Teaser Trailer and Screensaver (Seven Swords Official Site)

 

 

June 24, 2005

 

(Mandarin Films)

From Seven Swords Official Site:

Teaser trailer: QuickTime   Windows Media

Screensaver

 

(Thanks to "Romain1138".)

 

 
 

 

Opening This Week: June 18 -24 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 24, 2005

 

(Media Asia)

The film adaptation of the same name Japanese comic series, which tells a young underground car racer's story...

 

Click here for detail

 
 

 

SEVEN SWORDS: 30 Huge Print of Promotional Stills (Sina.com)

 

 

June 23 2005

 

Click here for more.
(Shanghai Youth Daily)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about Seven Swords

 
 

 

Jet Li not Involved in an Accident on the Set oF HUO YUANJIA (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 22 2005

 

Jet Li and director Ronny Yu.
(Shanghai Youth Daily)

According to CRI Online, Jet Li was not the one involved in the on-set accident. However, another actor did fall from a platform while doing a fight scene with Jet Li and he was only suffered from very minor injuries.

 

(Thanks to jetliang.)

 

 

Related Stories:

Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA Will Go to the Mountains (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 31, 2005

Plot Description of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 1, 2005

Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA Got a Major Script Overhaul by HERO Writer (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 30, 2005

Another Round of Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (The Beijing News) April 26, 2005

Even More Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (JetLiang.com) April 24, 2005

Two More Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (Sina.com / BigStar) April 23, 2005

Spy Photos from the Set of Jet Li's HUO YUANJIA (The Beijing Morning Post) April 21, 2005

Spy Photos from Set of Jet Li's Huo Yuanjia Biopic (Shanghai Youth Daily) April 7, 2005 

 
 

 

Brendan Fraser Reveals More Details of CHILDREN OF GUANGXI (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 21, 2005

 

(Sina.com)

During a chat with Sina.com, Brendan Fraser revealed more details of his upcoming project Children of Guangxi. Story of the movie is about a journalist called George Hawk (?), a character based on a real person. To report the horror of war, George secretly entered the city of Nanjin, which is under the Japanese attack. After being arrested by the Japanese, a Chinese man helps him to escape. At a hospital run by the Red Cross, the Chinese man asks George to help a group of war orphanages. In the beginning, the children do not trust George and George does not like the children either. But gradually George realizes these children are the most precious and established a safe haven for them in the middle of a desert (problem: the nearest desert is over a thousand miles away.) The war continues while they are living under peace. Someone from the Chinese Army makes a visit to their camp. The Chinese Army recognizes what has been done to these children very meaningful to the country and starts offering them help. When the Japanese are approaching, George and the children begin a journey to survive the war and finally reach the safety. Fraser said the shooting was expected to begin in this fall or early next year. He also said Michelle Yehn had read the script and another lead might be cast from Australia.

 
 

 

SEVEN SWORDS Official Site Opens Its English Sector with New Stills and Poster for Download (Seven Swords Official Site)

 

 

June 20, 2005

 

(Mandarin Films)

Seven Swords Official Site

 

More about Seven Swords

 

(Thanks to DYN and "Raphy" of DonnieYen.info.)

 

 

 
 

 

Shanghai International Film Festival Announces Winners (Official Film Festival Site)

 

 

June 19, 2005

 

(Shanghai International Film Festival)

Best Film: The Village Album (Japan)

Jury Prix: Gimme Kudos (China)

Best Director: Rumle Hammerich - Young Andersen (Denmark)

Best Actress: Zhao Wei - A Time to Love (China)

Best Actor: Tatsuya Fuji - The Village Album (Japan)

Best Screenplay: Huang Xin / Yi Fan - Gimme Kudos (China)

Best Cinematography: Stuan Dryburgh - In My Father's Den (New Zealand)

Best Music: Dang Huu Phuc - A Time Far Past (Vietnam / France)

Best Asian Filmmaker - Best Producer: Ravi Bharwani - The Rainmaker (Indonesia)

Best Asian Filmmaker - Best Director: Hassan Yektapanah - Story Undone (Iran)

 

Official film festival site

 
 

 

Brendan Fraser to Rescue CHILDREN OF GUANGXI in the War-Torn China (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 19, 2005

 

(Sina.com)

At a promoting event yesterday in Shanghai, Branden Fraser announced he would do a movie called Children of Guangxi (?) in China, with director Roger Spottiswoode (The 6th Day, Tomorrow Never Die, Hiroshima) and the producer of Cocoon. Set in Shanghai in 1937, story of the film is about a  journalist resisted to pay attention towards the Japanese invasion of China and later had a change of heart after witnessed the horror of Nanjing Massacre. Later he traveled to Guangxi (Province ?) and led some 50 to 60 war orphanages to safety. Cast of this dramatic piece, said to be based on fact, might also include Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh. The script is penned by Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby).

 

Branden Fraser also mentioned a script for the third Mummy did exist and he was not allowed to announced it officially. He said he was expecting part of the movie to be shot in China/Asia.

 
 

 

Chen Kaige Will Helm Historic GOLDEN ORCHARD (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 18, 2005

 

Chen Kaige

(Sina.com)

According to producer Charles Stevens of New York / Los Angeles based ICP Films, Chinese director Chen Kaige has agreed to take charge of historic film Golden Orchard, a biopic of the legendary Chinese courtesan Sai Jin Hua (1872-1936). Stevens told Shanghai Youth Daily that the film will cover Sai Jin Hua's entire life and several actresses will be cast to play the role in different ages. So far they have considered Lisa Lu, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Bai Ling and Chen Kaige's wife Chen Hong for the role. (The literal meaning of Sai Jin Hua is "Better than Golden Flower".)

 

(More details about the project are available at the official site of ICP Films.)

 
 

 

Brits Erotic Film Needs Lau Kar-Ling to Play MADAM AI? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

June 18, 2005

 

Lau Ka-Ling in 2046 (Block 2 Pictures)

The Chinese media report that producers of a British production called Ai Fu Ren (literal title: Madam Ai) have asked Hong Kong star Lau Kar-Ling (Carina) to be the female lead in this erotic flick, according to Lau's agent, director Wong Kar-Wai's Block 2 Pictures. Set in Shanghai during the 1930s, the film will tell a rich girl's relationship with her white teacher. Source of the news also points out that China born Hollywood star Bai Ling is the second choice for the lead role. The film will be helmed by an unnamed Singapore born British director and Oscar winner Timmy Yip is invited to be the art director. Filming is expected to take place in Taiwan.

 
 

 

SEVEN SWORDS Images (Sina.com)