crouching tiger hidden dragon 2

Major Theater Chains Pull From IMAX/Netflix Deal For CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2

It was supposed to be a “groundbreaking” maneuver for the film distribution industry in light of the latest updates for Yuen Woo-Ping‘s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend. Now, not quite so much. Monday evening news broke throughout reporting the latest deal between film’s production company, The Weinstein Company, subscription video-on-demand provider Netflix and theatrical entertainment company IMAX that promised a day-and-date release for the upcoming sequel starring Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen. This week however, a handful of theater branches have pulled back from the deal refusing to comply with the release agenda, with at least a total of five major U.S., Canada and Europe-based theater chains backing away, including Regal, Cinemark, Carmike, AMC, Cineplex, Cineworld and Wanda. In sum, the battle lines have officially been drawn. Whether or not the theater chains were informed about the deal or they were and simply refuse to be a part […]

[UPDATED] CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: THE GREEN LEGEND Set For IMAX/Netflix Release, Date Confirmed

Lee B. Golden III

*A previous version of this article did not include the new pictures until 5:56am EST Michelle Yeoh (left) and Zhang Ziyi (right) in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Well, this is new indeed. The news is just breaking at the moment, but apparently director Yuen Woo Ping‘s latest return to the Iron/Crane universe with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Legend may not be distributed in regular 2D theaters. Instead, the film will be making its official groundbreaking day-and-date debut on IMAX screens and on Netflix on August 28, 2015. The film will be the first original movie to stream from Netflix in a new deal with The Weinstein Company as per the growing business relationship between the two companies for first-run film content and other programs. Nevermind that the film will be in entirely in English, but it looks like TWC is putting its money where its mouth […]

Harry Shum Jr. Will Defend Legendary Weaponry In CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2!

Lee B. Golden III

Harry Shum Jr. as Kuai Liang in Mortal Kombat Legacy: Season 2 Production has commensed on director and action auteur Yuen Woo-Ping‘s new film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny, and a cast is now assembling that so far includes returning sequel actress Michelle Yeoh and actors Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse. Production is tentatively expected to last through November this year, and as we move forward, the film is still making announcements on who will officially star, aside from leaving a few names of interest that are otherwise worth mentioning. We still don’t yet have official word on mixed martial arts superstar and actor Cung Le’s possible talks for a role in the film following a press video in late June. However, at least one other name has been likely added to the cast in the form of actor Jason Scott Lee, known for his memorable performance […]

MMA Star Cung Le Pushes THE RAID Remake, CROUCHING TIGER 2 And Other Projects In Development

Lee B. Golden III

Mixed martial artist, professional fighter and actor Cung Le has quite an expansive career in film Hollywood and abroad. With well over a decade of credits with titles in America and parts of Asia, the True Legend and Fighting co-star has also gained some pretty huge notoriety with recent releases like the 2012 martial arts crime drama, Dragon Eyes, and RZA’s kung fu homage, The Man With The Iron Fists. As it stands, there’s no sign of Le stopping any time soon between working the professional fight arena and preparing for roles on set, according to a new viral video sent over to M.A.A.C.. While in Asia to promote his August 23 UFC match with Michael Bisping, the actor disclosed a small handful of projects that lie-in-waiting for him after his next fight with interviewers for MMA-in-Asia. Some notable projects and important names he mentioned included that of Hong Kong […]

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON 2 Is Casting A Lead Female Role

Lee B. Golden III

With pre-production currently underway for director Yuen Woo-Ping‘s new film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny, Vietnamese filmmaker and the film’s newly announced second unit director Charlie Nguyen is casting another lead actress for the role of Snow Vase. Let It Cast provided the details where potential auditionees can sign up: When we first meet her, she’s a punk yet feminine swordswoman, cocky, fearless and (despite her youth and beauty,) highly skilled in martial arts. Behind her devil-may-care demeanor, Snow Vase is driven by her duty to her late, adoptive mother, Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi’s character in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), to whom she made a deathbed promise to find Jen’s stolen son. Under the tutelage of swordswoman Yu (Michelle Yeoh), Snow Vase becomes a calmer, more tempered blade, but is still stunned when she finds that Tie-Fang, who may be friend or foe, is Jen’s long-lost child.. […]

[UPDATED] ‘The Rebel’ Helmer Charlie Nguyen To Direct The Action For CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: THE GREEN DESTINYt

Lee B. Golden III

Update: As it turns out, Nguyen will only be serving as co-producer and second-unit director, NOT action choreographer, following a Facebook post by Nguyen correcting tge matter, according to Twitch. Stay tuned for more updates, or at least until I learn Vietnamese. 🙂 While the domestic government-enforced ban and unceremonious leakage of Vietnamese filmmaker Charlie Nguyen‘s 2013 action vehicle, Bui Doi Cho Lon, left a huge hole for martial arts cinema fans last year, it appears the action will no less continue for The Rebel helmer who is said flown to New Zealand to over see action director duties for the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Destiny. Nguyen reportedly comes into the production after wrapping principal photography for the upcoming comedy titled Let Hoi Decide, as legendary action director Master Yuen Woo Ping has decided to extend action and fight choreography duties to Nguyen roughly a year […]

Donnie Yen Says CROUCHING TIGER 2 Is 'Something I've Never Done Before'

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Donnie Yen has long been a Hollywood hopeful for his worldwide fanbase after crossing over in Miramax’s North American redistribution of the Yuen Woo-Ping classic, Iron Monkey. The iconic Hong Kong action legend who has since taken the world by storm in such films as Highlander: Endgame, Shanghai Knights, Blade 2, Stormbreaker, The Princess Blade (Shurayukihime) and German TV series Der Puma now has his own production company and is still making movies to this day while bringing his family along for the ride, one of the many things Yen discussed in his latest interview hosted by Mathew Scott for Prestige Hong Kong. One other point of interest that came was when Yen spoke about how he felt about accepting his newest role in director Yuen’s forthcoming production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny for The Weinstein Company, based on late Chinese author Wang Dulu’s Crane/Iron […]

Pre-Production Begins For Yuen's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2

Lee B. Golden III

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 […]

Zhang Ziyi Officially Retires From Kung Fu Movie Roles

Lee B. Golden III

Reports are being forwarded from Chinese media with breaking news that actress Zhang Ziyi, star of director Wong Kar-Wai’s latest martial arts epic, The Grandmaster, is announcing her retirement from kung fu movies, citing longstanding injuries dating back to filming director Ang Lee’s 2000 kung fu adventure, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. “I don’t believe there’s another role that can surpass this. And I’ve had so many injuries from a long time ago during Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon when I injured my neck.” she tells the public. “Those old injuries really bother me and after three years of this one, my body cannot take it any more. So I think this is a pretty good finale.” It was a year ago in January at the height of The Grandmaster movie’s promotion and film festival circulation prior to its theatrical and home releases thereafter, when Ziyi went on record in Chinese media, […]

Jackie Chan Talks RUSH HOUR 4

Lee B. Golden III

Multifaceted international action star, Guiness World Record holder and filmmaker Jackie Chan attended a press interview this past Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur to promote his newest film, Police Story 2013. It has been speculated that Chan was possibly nearing the end of his career as an action star while leaning toward an interest in more drama-oriented or musical roles. And while this is mostly true, Chan eventually clarified things back in October expressing the facts a little bit more to The Wall Street Journal‘s Don Steinberg regarding what some believed was his wish to retire from action in general. “No, I never said that!” he exclaimed. “I was in Cannes Film Festival and said ‘Chinese Zodiac’ is my last big action movie. All the media, they skipped the ‘big.’. Probably they misunderstand my English. Now I have to say that’s my last BIIIIG action movie. I’m still doing […]

Yen Gets An English Lead Role For PRIORITY RUN

Lee B. Golden III

Wonders never cease with international action star Donnie Yen, coming off the release of his long awaited Hong Kong action thriller, Special ID, into a longer work list of films to come which include the recently wrapped Last Of The Best from director Teddy Chen and the filming of Iceman 3D: Part 2. On Saturday, Twitch brought an exclusive report which included a major announcement from international sales company Arclight Films for a new Yen action vehicle titled Priority Run to be directed by Troy Nixey, which would possibly bring Yen his first lead role in an English action picture since performing smaller roles and coordinating action sequences on films like Highlander: Endgame, Blade 2 and Shanghai Knights. Other cast members are expected to be announced at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, California next month. Check out the synopsis below: Set to star fast rising action star Donnie […]

Zhang Ziyi May Return In CROUCHING TIGER: HIDDEN DRAGON 2: THE GREEN DESTINY

Lee B. Golden III

It has been announced that actress Zhang Ziyi is back in the fray for a role in the Spring 2014 filming of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny. Entertainment Weekly reports the actress may reprise her role as Jen Yu, the youthful kung fu warrioress who takes a leap of faith off of the side of Wudang Mountain, spiriting herself away at the end of the first film, the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee and released in 2000. The film will reportedly utilize Zhang‘s role in flashbacks to explain what happened to her character after the first film. Also returning to the set next year will be actress and international action star Michelle Yeoh reprising her role as noble swordswoman Yu Shu Lien, joined by fellow Wing Chun and Butterfly And Sword co-star, international action sensation Donnie Yen who will play the character, Silent […]

Donnie Yen And Michelle Yeoh Confirmed For CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2

Lee B. Golden III

Much has been celebrated around the hopeful reunion of international action stars Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen hopefully reuniting for the sequel for Silver Vase, Iron Knight, the sequel to Ang Lee’s visual martial arts masterpiece, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, based on the classic Crane-Iron pentalogy of books by Wang Du Lu. Today, The Wrap confirms that Yen, one of the world’s busiest people right now, is confirmed to star in the film newly titled, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny, which will be distributed by The Weinstein Company. The film will be directed by master action legend Yuen Wo-Ping, based on a screenplay by John Fusco, and is scheduled for a March 2014 production, pushing the film back from its previously announced production date for May 2013, as reported by Deadline earlier this year. Yeoh and Yen previously starred in Michael Mak’s 1993 wuxia feature, Butterfly & Sword. […]