Changes are in the midst for upcoming New York City-set martial arts mobster comedy, Made In Chinatown following last week’s exclusive report. Acclaimed filmmaker, stunt multi-hyphenate and author Art Camacho (Half Past Dead 2, Assassin X, Confessions Of A Pit Fighter) is being tapped to direct the new pic which rolls cameras in June.
Stuntman, world-class wushu stylist and champion Gold medalist, actor Alfred Hsing will make his starring debut from a script by executive producer and author Mark V. Wiley. Mingling tropes from various memorable hit films like Kung Fu Hustle, Analyze This, Micky Blue Eyes and Big Trouble In Little China, Made In Chinatown centers on Vinny, a Chinatown resident who, with the help of his sifu and a select few good friends, works to assimilate himself into the Italian mob lifestyle and gain top-tier status whilst in pursuit of the girl of his dreams.
Dubbed as “The Fight Master” in the 90s among a multitude of other accomplishments, Camacho has well over three decades to his name in stunts for television and film, shared with a line-up of action star favorites like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Ted Jan Roberts, Olivia Grunner, Steven Seagal and Gary Daniels. Next to earning knighthood by the Sacred Order of Saint Michael Arch Angel, his acclaim is recognized by Action On Film International Film Festival, the Hollywood Motion Picture Counsel and the World Martial Arts Association.
Camacho debuted in 2017 with his biography, “Art Camacho: A Filmmaker’s Journey”, which he parented with Martial Arts History Museum curator and Dragonfest event host, Michael Matsuda. He recently served on the fight and stunt action for R. Ellis Frazier’s latest Gary Daniels thriller, Repeater which is currently in production.
Hsing’s recent credits include Ready Player One, Ip Man 3, Birth Of The Dragon and Europe Raiders. His decade-plus career on both ends of the lens shares DNA with the likes of Yuen Woo-Ping, Corey Yuen, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Phillip Ng, Simon Yam, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Orlando Bloom, and directors Phillip Rhee and Steven Spielberg.
Rounding out the extensive cast are Michelle Procida, The Sopranos series vets Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore and Maureen Van Zandt, Goodfellas and upcoming Brawler co-stars Tony Darrow and Artie Pasquale and celebrated action film notables such as Shaw Bros. legend and Ip Man franchise co-star Lo Meng, Emmy Award-winning action director James Lew (Marvel’s Luke Cage, Big Trouble In Little China, Timecop, The Perfect Weapon), Hwang Jang Lee (Drunken Master, Magnificent Warriors, No Retreat, No Surrender II: Raging Thunder) and Robert Samuels (H.K.S.A.) (Red Wolf, Mou Man Tai), as well as Eric Kovaleski and Chuck Zito (The Martial Arts Kid), Shuya Chang (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Snakehead, Revenge of the Green Dragons) and Grandmasters Norman Chin and Wai Hong to name a few.
Production hails from Tambuli Films in association with R4 Films L.L.C.’s own Samuels and partner Robert Jefferson.