donnie yen
Watch The Official Music Video For SPECIAL ID Featuring Singer Kun Yang
We have a new official music video this Friday in promotion for the upcoming release of director Clarence Fok’s martial arts action thriller, Special ID. The music video features mainland Chinese singer and the film’s co-star Kun Yang performing the title song, “Wǒ méi nǐ xiǎng dì nàme jiānqiáng (我没你想的那么坚强)”, which translates in English as “I’m Not So Strong As You Think”.
The song appears to be very poignant in reflecting the inner struggles of the relative characters, including Donnie Yen, who can be seen as the undercover cop forced to endure handfuls of bad guys in various scenes, from a bathroom stall and in a street brawl on a rainy evening. It seems to also illustrate some of what Yen meant during a Beijing press conference back in July while promoting the film when discussing the need to exhibit a more personal dimension to his character, telling news outlets “I used to concentrate on how to thrill audiences with my martial arts, …But now, I wish to combine personality with action.”
Take a look at the video and see for yourself.
Special ID also stars actress Jing Tian, Hanyu Zhang, Qi Daji, Andy On and Ken Lo, and is slated for a domestic release on October 18, 2013 long before its North American release from Well Go USA.
Special thanks to Facebook friend Charlie Ruedpokanon for the song title translation.
Photo: Bentara Asia
PUNCH! KICK! SLAM! BOOM! …Yep, Sounds Like Another Promo For SPECIAL ID!
I rarely share TV spots because when it comes down the wire for films, TV spots are plentiful. But since this is Donnie Yen we’re talking about, of course I absolutely HAVE to share today’s latest TV spot for his upcoming film, Special ID.
[UPDATED] Two More Clips Take You Behind The Scenes Of SPECIAL ID
Director Clarence Fok‘s upcoming film, Special ID continues to generate buzz with the release of two new behind-the-scenes clips this week. The first clip is an extended version of a BTS reel that fellow stunt coordinator Kenji Tanigaki featured on his own YouTube channel last week. The second clip shows Yen in a two minute reel that includes small interview subsections between BTS shots with fellow cast and crew, including actors Ken Lo and Andy On, and a little bit of footage of Yen’s previous 2005 Hong Kong hit MMA cop thriller, S.P.L. (Sha Po Lang a.k.a. Kill Zone), and its hit follow-up, Flash Point.
Zhang Ziyi May Return In CROUCHING TIGER: HIDDEN DRAGON 2: THE GREEN DESTINY
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 Wolf. The film, adapted from late author Wang Du Lu’s acclaimed pentalogy of novels whose rights were won by the Weinstein Company back in January, will be based on a script by John Fusco, with helmer and legendary action director Yuen Woo-Ping.
Zhang currently stars in The Weinstein Company’s upcoming limited theatrical release of Wong Kar-Wai’s latest biopictoral kung fu epic feature on acclaimed Wing Chun grandmaster, Ip Man. On Thursday, it was reported that Wong’s long awaited film has officially been endorsed by Oldboy co-star Samuel L. Jackson, granting the film’s official North American title, Martin Scorsese And Samuel L. Jackson Present: The Grandmaster.
Stay tuned for more info.
Photo: Btchflcks
Go Behind The Scenes In A New Featurette For SPECIAL ID!
Want some more Yen-action? Then take a look at a quick new behind the scenes reel for director Clarence Fok‘s upcoming Hong Kong action thriller, Special ID. The film is easily one of the most anticipated films for the second half of 2013 since litigation surrounding the film ended with all matters likely settled in court by now.
S.P.L. 2 Gets Greenlit!
On Thursday, a surprise report from Film Business Asia writer Kevin Ma has reported that Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd.’s sequel to the 2005 film, S.P.L. (a.k.a. Sha Po Lang), has been approved by State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT), otherwise known as the Chinese censorship board. International action star and world’s busiest bad guy beater-upper, Donnie Yen, who appeared in the 2005 action hit, has also been attached to star in the film by way of newly-attached Champions and Revenge: A Love Story scribe, Jill Leung Lai-Yin.
Donnie Yen's Latest New Trailer For SPECIAL ID, Now With English Subs!
Yen takes on the role of Zilong Chen, an undercover police officer deep within the ranks of one of China’s most ruthless underworld gangs. The leader of the gang, Xiong (Collin Chou – JET LI’S FEARLESS, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, THE MATRIX RELOADED), has made it his priority to weed out the government infiltrators in his midst. Struggling to keep his family together and his identity concealed, Chen is torn between two worlds.
Donnie Yen Kicks HD Ass In The New Cantonese Trailer Re-Release For SPECIAL ID
Donnie Yen lit this week on fire with his latest new Mandarin-language teaser trailer for Special ID. Now there is a second “uncensored” HD trailer online for Hong Kong audiences, and though there really is no noticeable difference between the two versions, there are only a few audio edit changes, including the removal of the sound that plays when actress Tian Jing points her gun at some poor schmuck’s junk, in addition to Cantonese audio throughout.
The New Trailer For Special ID. You're Welcome.
In what can solely be described as one of the biggest, most hyped action films of 2013, international action star Donnie Yen is back on the big screen with the upcoming film Special ID, directed by Clarence Fok. The new trailer below comes after more than a year since the film began a production mired in a long and winding series of bitter feuds between fellow actors and celebs, and a lawsuit from the film’s former producer.
The Latest Extended Trailer For ICEMAN 3D Is All About Modern Swordplay
International action hero Donnie Yen has had an impressive run at the film end of things, kicking off a LOT of new projects in accordance with the startup of his new production company, Superhero Films. Showing no signs of slowing down (with a tentative exception to Ip Man 3), he is collectively promoting, filming and releasing several new movies before and after this coming New Year, which including part one of director Law Wing Cheong‘s two-part fantasy actioner, Iceman 3D.
Donnie Yen Soars Online In The New Teaser For THE MONKEY KING
Not much has been said about international action star Donnie Yen‘s new 3D kung fu adventure, The Monkey King, except for a few teaser trailers here and here, and what’s been said in recent interviews this year. Today, FINALLY, that all changes with a brand new teaser with no dialogue, but it does feature Yen in costume.
Go Behind The Scenes Of ICEMAN 3D
It will be a while until martial arts fans worldwide will get to see action star Donnie Yen combat his foes, played by Wang Baoqiang and Yu Kang in a whirlwind of classic kung fu action and modern weaponry in the Law Wing-Cheong-directed Iceman 3D. But to hold us over until next year when part one will finally be released, we since have a first teaser, and now, some extra (but short) behind-the-scenes footage from the set of the film until we at least get some more trailers and updates about the film.
New Trailer For ICEMAN COMETH 3D!
Director Law Wing Cheong’s latest epic martial arts swordplay thriller, ICEMAN COMETH, now has a trailer of its own to show for its efforts as, of what is now, the first of a two-part saga that sees action star Donnie Yen opposite Wang Baoqiang as imperial guards battling each other through time.
Martin Scorsese To Possibly Sit With Yuen Woo-Ping And Donnie Yen To Discuss SEVEN SAMURAI
I have pretty much lost count as to the amount of films international action star Donnie Yen is racking up on these days. It feels like he is planning on staying as busy as possible for the next two years, laying out more and more movie announcements every week. And although today’s report from Deadline may not count as an official announcement, there is plenty of reason for this to possibly exist somewhere down the line.
Details On Donnie Yen's Next 'BEST' With Helmer Teddy Chen
According to a report at ScreenDaily, possible details may hint that recent reports regarding international action superstar Donnie Yen’s next action thriller coming down the pipeline, One Person’s Martial Arts Circle may have undergone a title change to, The Last Of The Best. (Either this or Yen just starred executing his epic, notorious plan to impress us by add more kickass movies for the next two years).
The film, backed by Emperor Motion Pictures, will be budgeted at $25 million and will see Yen back on the set with Hong Kong filmmaker Teddy Chen since Yen’s role in Bodyguards And Assassins. The film will also star Yen opposite his Iceman Cometh 3D co-star, Wang Baoqiang, along with actresses Charlie Young (New Police Story) and Bai Bing (The Viral Factor).
Chen, whose credits also include Downtown Torpedoes starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jackie Chan’s The Accidental Spy, joined screenwriters Lau Ho-leung and Mak Tin-shu to fill the script.
SYNOPSIS:
Set in Hong Kong and Guangdong province, Last Of The Best is set in the world of martial arts. Yen plays a former martial arts instructor of the Police Academy who is imprisoned after accidentally killing a man. Wang plays a vicious killer who starts targeting martial arts masters in Hong Kong.
Donnie Yen state his excitement to the public for his opportunity with the new film, telling the press, “I’m looking forward to working again with both EMP, who have been very supportive producers, and Wang Baoqiang. It’s been some time since I have worked with Wang and he has grown tremendously as an actor in the past few years.”
The film is slated for a summer 2014 release, highlighting another year of films on deck to be released or filmed between now and then, including the second part of The Iceman Cometh, the 3D release of The Monkey King, his long-awaited action crime thriller, Special Identity, and two other films slated under his production banner, which include The Master and Kowloon Walled City.
In all likelihood, THE LAST OF THE BEST is probably the same film as the previously announced ONE MAN’S MARTIAL ARTS CIRCLE, given the premise and the timing of the latest reports. Then again, we might just well be proven wrong.
At any rate, needless to say, Yen is still making waves in the industry, doing what he does “Best”.
Stay tuned for more news as it comes.
Photo Credit: One Asian World
New Poster For ICEMAN COMETH 3D
Martial arts action super star Donnie Yen has taken to the web to unveil his new poster for the upcoming duo film franchise, The Iceman Cometh 3D, which is making its premiere in Cannes this month. The film is an epic revival of the Hong Kong action classic that starred Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah and Maggie Cheung, and directed by Clarence Fok. Remade in 3D as a two-part project, it is directed by Law Wing Cheong, and will star Yen opposite Wang Baoqiang, along with Simon Yam and Eva Huang.
The film is one of many in Yen’s busy schedule as he also expected to push and develop having just entered into heading his own production company, Superhero Films. No release date has been set as of yet.
In the meantime, Yen’s next film, Special Identity, directed by Clarence Fok, is still stuck in “litigation limbo”, although it is now backed with distribution courtesy of Easternlight Films. The film will star Tian Jing, Collin Chou and Andy On, and will feature stuntwork and action choreography by Yen, in addition to Kenji Tanigaki and John Salvitti, and veteran stunt performer and coordinator Bruce Law, who is currently in Indonesia on the set of the epic production The Raid 2 (a.k.a. Berandal) with director Gareth Evans, and Impact Online’s Mike Leeder.
Donnie Yen Splits ICEMAN COMETH 3D In Two, And Counting…
Photo Credits: Martial Arts Movie Junkie, Twitchfilm