Chinese folklore finds new life on Netflix thanks to Stephen Chow whose exec producer credits are attached to Anthony Stacchi’s latest directorial offering aptly titled The Monkey King. The film features a VO cast led by Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie and BD Wong.
Film multihyphenate, actor and filmmaker Stephen Chow’s resumé in film has plenty of titles his fanbase can discern as emblematic of his successful thirty-plus year run in the industry. His 1996 entry, The God Of Cookery, is certainly a beacon for Hong Kong Cinema’s audience, and a certainly fitting entry into this year’s food-themed second-annual Winter Showcase for the New York Asian Film Festival.
To date, I actually held hopes that Soi Cheang would be able to live out a live-action quadrilogy for his take on Wu Cheng’en’s classic tale of The Monkey King. The CGI-packed threequel garnered more of a lukewarm reception and that may have dampered further hopes, but maybe that will change. I’m not really sure.
Until then, any and all related efforts now lie at Shanghai-based Pearl Studio who are reportedly in the market for a new stake of their own in the mythological Chinese folk legend. Announcements out of France are hailing the project with the attachment of the incomparable Stephen Chow (BAFTA and Golden Globe Award nominated hit, Kung Fu Hustle) who is no stranger to the folkloric hero that has inspired many a TV, film and print franchise for years, including Chow’s own Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons and its 2017 sequel from Tsui Hark.
The character’s return to the big screen is being developed as an epic animated adventure for a global audience, signaling “a big step forward” for the studio as cited during a Pearl Studio Focus session at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Ron Friedman and Steve Bencich (Brother Bear, Chicken Little) are penning the film with Chow shepherding the film, and rightly so with Chow’s presence backed by his smash hit successes of both Journey titles which have held milestone achievements as China’s opening day and all-time highest grossers.
“Stephen Chow is the perfect creative partner to develop The Monkey King with Pearl Studio,” said Peilin Chou, Chief Creative Officer for Pearl Studio. “His involvement in this very special project, which is beloved throughout Asia, is a true coup. We know that he will bring all the comedy and scope that makes this adventure legend so special and translate The Monkey King into an enchanting and exciting global animated event.”
It wouldn’t be the first time The Monkey King got the animation treatment either, and as family friendly as this particular IP usually is most of the time and with Chow in the room, at best, expect this to be another Chinese New Year hit.
Hong Kong film stalwarts Stephen Chow and Tsui Hark have been at it in recent weeks with a rather odd approach to their latest campaign for Journey To The West: The Demon Chapter. Peep this recent teaser and you’ll see what I mean, though you’ll get some more oddball antics at the tail end of the latest teaser for the film now host to xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage co-star Kris Wu in the lead role.
Following the first film in its stellar box office numbers, Chow wrote and produced the film with Hark taking over directing duties for Wu who plays Buddhist monk, Tang Sanzang on his legendary journey to the West as inspired in the original classic novel written by Wu Cheng’en. The film opens on January 28 in China with the cast rounding out to actors Kenny Lin, Chen Yao, Mengke Bateer, Bao Bei’er and Lin Yun. Check it out below and stick around for an official trailer!
Dragon Dynasty 5 Movie Collection will be available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment for the suggested retail price of $19.98
Nowadays, actress Vicky Zhao‘s career prominence has seen some great influence in recent years between directing and staking a near 10% ownership claim in Alibaba Pictures with her husband. I can’t really speak fully on what that means for this particular report, although bearing this in mind it seems fitting that she seizes the opportunity to return to the screen in some capacity.
On that note, it just so happens that Alibaba Pictures is producing director Tsui Hark‘s Journey To The West sequel following up Stephen Chow’s initial installment in 2013. And, according to Jaynestars, it just so happens that the production is bringing Zhao on board for a role, essentially reuniting the actress with Chow who directed the first film following their previous work together just fourteen years ago on the kung fu sports comedy epic, Shaolin Soccer.
The film also brings Zhao together with fellow So Close star, actress Shu Qi who starred in the 2013 film which released to critical and commercial acclaim. Journey To The West 2 is slated to commense filming this August while further details on the production.
Stay tuned for more info.
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