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| Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh engage a sisterly clash of swords and will in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). |
Well, it’s been a little over a year since it was reported that The Weinstein Company secured the rights to late Chinese author Wang Du Lu’s Crane/Iron pentalogy which inspired director Ang Lee’s 2000 award-winning Chinese-language wuxia epic, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Needless to say, it was a hit, and fourteen years later, the film is finally getting a sequel in the form of a prequel titled Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny.
This month, there’s more movement now being made for the film as pre-production has officially kicked off with plans to film most of the movie in New Zealand, courtesy of Auckland-based Iron Knight productions with the remainder of the film to be shot in China. The film is being directed by legendary action master Yuen Woo-Ping, with a script by Netflix Marco Polo series creator John Fusco, based on the fifth book of Wang’s Crane/Iron Pentalogy of novels.
The new movie will also reunite
Master Yuen with actress
Michelle Yeoh reportedly reprising her role from the first movie, along side the franchise’s latest addition, international action superstar
Donnie Yen, all of whom previously share respective credits working on such kung fu classics like the 1993 Michael Mak film,
Butterfly And Sword, and
Master Yuen‘s 1994 film,
Wing Chun. There’s no word yet on whether or not actress
Zhang Ziyi will reprise her old role from the first film since
recent news of her retirement from action roles. So, obviously, more updates lie in waiting.
The film is expected to be shot in both English and Mandarin languages and released sometime in 2015. In addition, more news is expected to come forward on
Master Yuen‘s
previously-announced July 2014 filming of
Zu Warriors: Dawn Of Darkness, to be produced by Tsui Hark, as well as the contemporary potential trilogy kickoff,
Vigilantes: The Lost Order.
Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
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