the last of the best

Yen's 'Last Of The Best' Gets A Face Lift With A New Title

Just hours into international action star Donnie Yen‘s arrival for his appearance at this year’s New York Chinese Film Festival, a new image popped up online courtesy of Yen‘s Weibo account illustrating a name change in for the release of his latest action thriller with co-writer and director Teddy Chen. Previously announced as Last Of The Best, the new film will be simply titled as Kung Fu Killer, a title that sounds a bit more underwhelming than its predecessor, but still leaves a lot to the imagination about just how the film will be sold, which is already now a sharply divisive issue considering the new name.

Ask anyone and you will see what I mean.

Produced by Albert Lee, Last Of The Best Kung Fu Killer will see Yen as a former martial arts instructor imprisoned for the accidental death of another man whose services are once again required when a vicious killer begins targeting martial arts masters in the city. The film will also star fellow Iceman 3D co-star Wang Baoqiang, along with Charlie Yeung, Bai Bing and John Chiang. The film began shooting in May and wrapped later in the summer for a 2014 release date to be announced.

In the meantime, Yen will be in New York City to premiere his new film with director Clarence Fok, Special ID, for the final day of New York Chinese Film Festival on November 7, 2013 at the AMC Empire 25, located at 234, West 42nd street near Times Square. The film is currently awaiting a street date courtesy of U.S. distributor Well Go USA.

Promotion is also underway for the upcoming release of his new 3D adventure, The Monkey King, director Pou Soi-Cheang’s latest spin on the classic Journey To The West tale which is expected to hit Chinese and Hong Kong cinemas on January 31, 2014 prior to its U.S. release on February 14 according to the IMDb page. And lastly, for the first of a two-part movie, Yen and Baoqiang‘s Iceman 3D from director Law Wing-Cheong, is expected to release this April.

Stay tuned for more info.

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:

Details On Donnie Yen's Next 'BEST' With Helmer Teddy Chen

Lee B. Golden III

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