derek kwok

THE UNLEASHED BLAZE: Production Starts On ‘Raging Fire’ Follow-Up From ‘Gallants,’ ‘Full Strike’ Director

Emperor Motion Pictures revealed the start of production for The Unleashed Blaze, reportedly a thematic sequel to the late Benny Chan’s Raging Fire which starred Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse. Derek Kwok (Gallants, Full Strike) is directing the film which reunites Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse who previously starred together in the aforementioned Chan’s 2011 martial arts epic, Shaolin. Plot details are under wraps for the film which was announced back in March without an English title. Lau will produce the pic in addition to starring, and that Tse will also serve as action director, just as he recently did on Herman Yau’s upcoming crime flick, Customs Frontline. The cast also lists Carlos Chan who also starred with Lau in The Goldfinger, mainland actor Ci Sha who recently appeared in Creation Of The Gods I: Kingdom Of Storms, and longstanding action star fave Xie Miao of My Father Is A […]

SCHEMES IN ANTIQUES: Well Go USA Sets December Date For Derek Kwok’s Latest

Lee B. Golden III

Well Go USA is propping up nicely to end the year on a robust with new crime thriller, Schemes In Antiques. Billed on the marquee is director Derek Kwok (Full Strike, As The Lights Go Out), with a cast that lists Lei Jiayin (How Long will I Love U, Cliff Walkers) Li Xian (The Captain, Soul Snatcher) Xin Zhilei (Brotherhood of Blades 2, The Rescue) and Ge You (Farewell My Concubine, My People, My Country; My People, My Homeland). Despite his family’s famed expertise on ancient relics, Xu Yuan makes a simple living as the owner of an electronics shop, eager to distinguish himself from a disgraced ancestor executed for treason after stealing a Chinese artifact for Japan. But when a descendant offers to return the relic to China, Xu Yuan uncovers a decades-old mystery and embarks on a journey that could finally restore his family’s reputation—and may also cost […]

Hey U.S.! Canada! U.K.! Here’s Where You Can Catch Derek Kwok’s WU KONG!

Lee B. Golden III

Folks attending Fantasia Festival this month can expect to catch Derek Kwok’s latest Eddie Pang headliner, Wu Kong, next week. In the meantime, moviegoers looking to catch the film sooner can look toward releases slated for the U.S. and Canada, and select locations in the U.K.. Three powers collide. Long ago, Sun Wukong, was born in Huaguo Mountain with a heart of stone. Ji Hua, a powerful general from the heaven planned to terminate him. However Wukong was rescued by Bodhi and became his pupil. Jian Yang, is a being who was given an opportunity to become a strong god, but for this he needs to kill Zixia, the daughter of the Heaven Emperor’s rival, who he is in love with. Tianpeng, Ji Hua’s bodyguard, was given the secret order to investigate Wukong. All three of them entered the Heaven school together, and their lives are about to change. Cine […]

Derek Kwok’s WU KONG Unleashes The Beast In The Final Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

As far as I know, CMC Pictures may well still extend its July 13 release of director Derek Kwok’s latest fantasy epic, Wu Kong, into U.S. cinemas. I’m currently awaiting comment in that regard while it has otherwise been confirmed that the film will definitely see its day in Montreal for a North American premiere at Fantasia on July 18. The trailers have certainly hinted at something pretty rather essential in the wake of so many adaptations of the character which have generally been geared toward family-friendly audiences. This one looks like its got some meat on its bones for sure and festival programmer Rupert Bottenberg expands with his own insight with the following summary per the Fantasia website: Born atop the Flowers and Fruit Mountain, Wu Kong – the one who will become known as the Monkey King – has a heart of stone. The heavenly general Ji Hua […]

Eddie Peng Dons A King’s Image In A Brand New Trailer For WUKONG

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Eddie Peng’s latest wartime drama, Our Time Will Come, is currently readying for its day at the Shanghai International Film Festival. The event kicks off on June 18 ahead of its July 1 release, preceding as one of two Peng-starrers for the month with the other boding an impressive display of folkloric live-action spectacle. The film, Wukong, opens on July 13 with Peng in the title role and inspired by pen-named author Jin Zehai’s 2000 novel. Also starring are actor Shawn Yue and actresses Ni Ni and Zheng Shuang with Oho Ou, Qiao Shan, Faye Yu and Di Yang with a story that sets our titular warrior and other combatants in the Heaven school with our named King now staking his claim in full royal garb in the official trailer below. Not for nothing either, as far as ambition goes. We’re already finishing a seperate trilogy but if you […]

WUKONG: Eddie Peng Pulls Out Something Big And Nasty From His Ear In The New Teaser Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

You don’t need to look too hard to see how much has amassed in film and TV over the legendary “Journey To The West” story and its foremost character, Sun Wukong. The last several years have shown ample box office success in adapting the character, something that director Derek Kwok is now keen on with Wukong, inspired by pen-named author Jin Zehai’s 2000 novel. Wukong, born in Huaguo Mountain, has a heart of stone. Ji Hua, a powerful general from the heaven was going to terminate him. But Wukong was rescued by Bodhi and became his pupil. Jian Yang, was given an opportunity to become a strong god, but he needs to kill Zixia, the daughter of the Heaven Emperor’s rival, who he is in love with. Tianpeng, Ji Hua’s bodyguard, was given the secret order to investigate Wukong. All three of them entered the Heaven school together, and their lives […]

THE TALES OF WUKONG Character Posters: Warriors, Assassins And Puppies, Oh My!

Lee B. Golden III

Between 2014 up to now, actor Eddie Peng has become someone I can appreciate. His most recent stint in Rise Of The Legend drew my praise as one of the best and most undeservedly undercelebrated martial arts movies by far and his body of work continues to grow with the upcoming fantasy epic, The Tales Of Wukong, inspired obviously by the titular Chinese mythic folk hero of legend, The Monkey King. Derek Kwok sits at the helm this time around, taking cues from pen-named author Jin Zehai’s 2000 novel which sees the story of three people on their way to heaven’s school for their own purposes; Three characters serving centrally to the film’s main narrative which will obviously encompass Peng’s portrayal of the very royalty he becomes, imbued further with the power of the legendary staff that glows at the end of the first teaser we saw several months ago […]

Derek Kwok’s WU KONG Sees Eddie Peng Speaking Softly And Carrying A Big Stick In The First Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been over a year since intial news broke on the production Derek Kwok’s latest, Wu Kong. Kwok’s previous work with Stephen Chow on the 2013 hit, Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons, surely makes him a well suited pick to sit in the director’s chair in this particular category of folklore, adding to the freshness even further with actor Eddie Peng given his revitalizing performance as Wong Fei-Hung in the revitalizing Rise Of The Legend. Here, he claims the title role for Kwok’s take inspired by pen named author Jin Zehai’s 2000 novel joining Peng with Invisible Target and Wild City co-star Shawn Yue’s role as fellow mythical mainstay, Erlang Shen, and actresses Ni Ni and Zheng Shuang. The film’s first teaser is here ahead of its July 13, 2017 release in China and right off the bat, you can already tell this will be a much more […]

Eddie Peng Headlines Derek Kwok's BIOGRAPHY OF WUKONG For 2017

Lee B. Golden III

With the ancient mythology of Wu Cheng’en’s “Journey To The West” taking precedent in Chinese cinema as of late, Full Strike helmer Derek Kwok is putting forth his own work on a new live-action adaptation of the same narrative. This time, its Biography Of Wukong with Rise Of The Legend and Unbeatable star Eddie Peng starring in the title from Kwok’s own script, based on the 2004 publication, Wukong Chuan from author Jin He Zai. Photos have already begun making the rounds and while plot details are pending, it is guaranteed that some characters familiar with those in the know are bound to appear – Wild City and Helios co-star Shawn Yue joins Peng in the role of Erlangshen, the third truth-eye-seeing nephew of the Jade Emperor according to Wu 16th century novel. At any rate, this won’t be the last of the Monkey King folklore for years to come […]