Ang Lee Said No To An Idea for The Prequel Script And Crouching Tiger Goes To Universal Studios (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

February 21, 2001

Because Academy Awards nominee screenwriter Wang Hui Ling is busying on two other projects, writing of the script for the preqeul is currently done by Sia Mei Hua. However, her idea for the beginning has been killed by Ang Lee. According to Sia, the film will start with the Green Destiny Sword being unearthed followed by a struggle of controlling the sword involving many masters, including Li Mu Bai's master, Southern Crane (Jiang Nan He). There will be a heavy fighting scene in the beginning. But Ang Lee said it was too "cliché".

 

According producer Hsu Li-Kong, Universal Studios is considering adding a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon section at one of its scene park (not sure which one is).

 

The prequel will be based on part II of the Crane Crane Precious Sword Crouching Iron Pentalogy (as Crane - Iron Pentalogy for short), Precious Sword, Gold Hairpin. It will tell the story of Li Mu Bai (played by Chow Yun-Fat in CTHD), Yu Shu Lien (played by Michelle Yeoh in CTHD), Yu Shu Lien's fiancé Meng Si Zhao, and prostitute Xie Cui Xian. Li Mu Bai is in love with Yu Shu Lien, fiancée of his sworn brother Meng Si Zhao, and Xie Cui Xian, who looks like Yu Shu Lien.

 

Ang Lee has said, he will present the "spirit of Wuxia (Warriorship)" in the prequel, which cannot be found in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

 

Shooting of the Prequel Will Start In 2002 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

February 16, 2001

Honk Kong's Apple Daily reported today that Ang Lee is planning to make the prequel, Precious Sword, Gold Hairpin will start in 2002 after The Hulk, which is scheduled for this year. On February 25, he will meet the photographer Peter Pau and the art director and costume designer Tim Yip in the ceremony of British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, both nominated for the awards and the Oscar. Precious Sward, Gold Hairpin is the second novel of the Crane Crane Precious Sword Crouching Iron Pentalogy (as Crane - Iron Pentalogy for short), which talked about the the beginning of the love story of Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien. Meanwhile, Chow Yun-Fat has showed his great interest in returning as Li Mu Bai one more time, although he may not be in because his age.  

 

Yuen Wo-Ping and Chow Yun-Fat Talks About the Prequel (Southern Daily, Guangzhou, China)

January 27, 2001 

Right after the Golden Globe Awards, Yuen Wo-Ping invited some cast members from CTHD to get drunk to celebrate the success of the film. According to him, Ang Lee has said the prequel might come earlier than planned because the musical he wanted to do has run into some copyright problem. CTHD’s production company (not sure which one is, since there are so many of them) has planned to call the cast of CTHD back to start the production as soon as possible. Yuen was eager to do it again if he was available. 

 

Chow Yun-Fat on the Prequel (Apple Daily, Hong Kong)

January 23, 2001

Chow Yun-Fat will present Oscar

Receiving bonus for making CTHD has made Chow Yun-Fat felt like winning a lottery. He refused to say just how much he has received, although the figure has been rumored around $2 million US. About the rumor of that shooting of the prequel will start next year with Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, he said, “Just wait until the script is done! During the shooting of that movie, the most excited was my wife, because she had a lot of happy moments with the crew and the cast.”

 

Picture: Chow Yun-Fat been spotted in the street of Hong Kong. See, he has grown his hair back: click here.

 

Ang Lee Interview (China Time, Taiwan)

January 26, 2001

Taiwan’s China Time has published a telephone interview of Ang Lee. Here is the translation:

 

Reporter: How did your feel when knowing you got The Best Director? What did you think about?

 

Ang Lee: At that moment my mind is empty, but everybody jumped up and the entire room was full of people’s voice. Before that night, I was told The Best Director was not so easy to get and I just tried not to think about it, but unexpectedly, I got it! This really means something for Chinese language films, because it is very rare for them to be recognized by a mainstream American award. This means the Western world is willing to accept the Eastern culture.

 

Reporter: On the stage you said those tough women in your film were molded on your wife?

 

Ang Lee: (Laugh) My wife is not as beautiful as Yu Shu Lien, the female lead, but she is strong and shares the same personality of rebelling with Jen, because she can give you a big surprise sometimes.

 

Reporter: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has got two awards. Will you start to make the prequel right away? What is your plan?

 

Ang Lee: Mr. Hsu Li-Kong (one of the producer) always asks me to make the prequel and he has asked me again after I left the stage. But my physical strength was almost run out for making it. I need to take a break. Besides, I am planning a musical (Same Old Song ?), The Hulk and Houdini, but don’t know which one will the first.

 

Reporter: How did you feel about receiving the Golden Globe from Julia Roberts?

 

Ang Lee: She made me laugh so much: days ago, during the ceremony of Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, she looked at me in a "mysterious way" and told me she would be available this fall. (Laugh). Then I finally realized why there were so many people wanted to be directors, this is so enjoyable for male directors.

 

A role in my musical is pretty much perfect for her. Actually, I almost made a movie with her in 1988 and I had met her at that time. Later she made Pretty Woman and became a superstar.

 

Reporter: After breaking the record for the Chinese in the international film industry, do you have any suggestion for Taiwan’s new generation of directors?

 

Ang Lee: Being healthy and living longer. It is very exhausting to make a Chinese language film, but one must resist to the end. Also, do not get dizzy with success of just one film. I always feel I am very lucky – if can’t make Chinese language films, I can always make English language films. Unfortunately, the mainstream Chinese language films have yet been recognized by the international market and some filming techniques are also lacking. Therefore makers of Chinese language films, no matter how big the films they are making, should all be encouraged.

 

Reporter: Where will you be during the (Chinese) New Year?

 

Ang Lee: I will fly back to New York to spend my New Year Holiday. If with my wife’s permission, I can cook some New Year meals. Happy New Year To Everyone and Wish Everything Can Come Out As Planned!

 

Ang Lee Confirmed on Make a Prequel (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

December 6, 2000 

After a long talk, Ang Lee and producer Hsu Li-Kong has formally reached the agreement of making a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon prequel. Ang Lee has authorized Hsu Li-Kong to chose one part from Part I to Part II, then they will do the casting together. Ang Lee said as long as they had a good story, there was no need to worry about the ages of the main characters as well as the ages of Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh. This means whether these two will be in the prequel is still unknown. Although the script has not been written, Ang Lee has already come out some exiting ideas. He told Hsu, for the fighting scenes, there will be three big one, two median one and two small one.

 

Because the story is not finished by the end of the movie, it is up to the audiences to guess the sequence. Ang Lee does not want to spoil the audiences' feeling, he has decided to make a prequel rather a sequel.

 

At the same time, producer Hsu Li-Kong has revealed the plot of prequel, which will be based on Part II and/or Part III. The basic storyline is: Yu Shu Lien's father, head of an armed escort service, had decided to close down the business to keep Yu Shu Lien away from the bloody Kung-Fu brotherhood. However, his daughter had already secretly mastered the martial art. She even planed a contest to challenge all contestants in order to choose a husband. Newcomer of the brotherhood Li Mu Bai joined the contest only for testing his skills. During the fight, they started to fall in love. Before their relationship had any further development, Li Mu Bai discovered that Yu Shu Lien and his sworn brother had an unfulfilled marriage, arranged when they were still unborn.