Raiders trilogy and The Grandmaster star Tony Leung Chiu-Wai will star along with Extraordinary Mission actor Yihong Duan in Fox Hunt, billed as a ripped-from-the-headlines police action thriller being produced by the state-backed Shanghai Film Group.
Variety‘s Patrick Frater reports that Fox Hunt is based on the real-life operation that launched in Summer 2014 as a global anti-corruption initiative steered by China’s Ministry of Public Security. The director’s position awaits filling while cameras will reportedly roll in France and China.
…The operation seeks to find and repatriate Chinese people who have fled abroad to avoid accusations of corruption. The film is expected to show cross-border criminal proceedings and the use of Interpol’s so-called Red Notices…
Frater also elucidates an interesting tidbit about the film’s existence in the wake of recent protests in Hong Kong over a recently-suspended government bill that would have allowed fugitives to be handed over to authorities in mainland China.
Fox Hunt is also in line with many similar titles in terms of the propagandist creative angle certain stories are taking in wake of China’s 70th anniversary as a Republic.
“As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the film is expected to play a significant role in raising awareness so as to prevent economic crimes and demonstrate the fairness and justice of Chinese society,” said China.org.