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.
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.
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Sun Wukong, (The Monkey King) is a monkey born from a heavenly stone who acquires supernatural powers. After rebelling against heaven and being imprisoned under a mountain for 500 years, he later accompanies the monk Xuanzang on a journey to India. Thus, according to legend, Buddhism is brought to ancient China. This much beloved story, is as much a part of Asian culture as The Iliad and The Odyssey or The Wizard of Oz are to the West. This first installment in a trilogy of live action 3-D movies is actually a prequel to The Journey To The West, the much told story of the Monkey Kings adventures on the road to India. The Monkey King: Havoc In The Heavenly Palace will be released in the U.S. as The Monkey King. The first movie is the origins story — beginning with the birth of Sun Wukong and ending with his imprisonment for his crimes under the Five-Peaked Mountain. Along the way he acquires incredible powers, battling the armies of the gods and the armies of the demons to find his rightful place in the Heavens. It is a classic story of the scorned underdog who acquires great abilities but uses them recklessly and ultimately must pay a huge price to find redemption. The Monkey King captures the drama, beauty, humor and fantastic action of the folk legend and brings it to the screen in a way never before possible.
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.
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:
![[UPDATED] SPL 2 Gets Its Director](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-euDNz-O7vgo/UjDriIhUS5I/AAAAAAAAEU0/AZufqwZ-Jgo/s400/Accident%252BPhotocall%252B66th%252BVenice%252BFilm%252BFestival%252BgroE2jNSlmFl.jpeg "[UPDATED] SPL 2 Gets Its Director")
Update: An article posted at Twitch on 9/13/13 reaffirms Tony Jaa is still confirmed for S.P.L. 2, reaffirming rumors reported late last year.
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.
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.
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