Monkey King - IMAX-3D featuring Donnie Yen

[GeneChing]

Coming up: Monkey King in IMAX 3-D
August 2, 2010

Action star Donnie Yen will play the lead role in an IMAX 3-D fantasy film called "The Monkey King". Preparation for the project is underway in Beijing, Sina.com.cn reports.

Inspired by the classic epic novel "Journey to the West", the movie tells of the Monkey King's several adventures before he embarks on the journey escorting monk Xuanzang to the west.

Working on a budget of 300 million yuan (US$44.3 million), distributors of the film want to make it a monumental work.

Cheang Pou-Soi will direct the film. Other cast members are yet to be announced.

Filming is set to begin in October.

[ghostexorcist]

Let's hope they do a better job of portraying the Monkey King than what was done in Forbidden Kingdom.

[doug maverick]

Originally Posted by ghostexorcist

Let's hope they do a better job of portraying the Monkey King than what was done in Forbidden Kingdom.

the forbidden kingdom rocked...stop hating ghost.

[ghostexorcist]

Originally Posted by doug maverick

the forbidden kingdom rocked...stop hating ghost.

I personally thought the movie was one of the worst I had ever seen. It ranks up there with Elektra.

[GeneChing]

I enjoyed Forbidden Kingdom thoroughly. I watched Elektra just because it was back when Jennifer Garner was coming off Alias and I was hoping for another Sydney. But that's not to the point. You want to talk about a disappointing Monkey King? Let's talk about The Lost Empire.

[ghostexorcist]

Originally Posted by GeneChing

You want to talk about a disappointing Monkey King? Let's talk about The Lost Empire.

It took me years of therapy to repress the memory of that film. Thanks for ruining my stable life. Bai Ling as Guanyin! Whose idea was that?!?

Part of the reason why I don't like The Forbidden Kingdom is because it reminded me of this movie.

[doug maverick]

i thought forbidden kingdom kicked ass...i didnt like the white kid thou...and thought the film would have been more progressive if it was about a chinese kid who was devoid of his own culture...instead of a kung fu obsessed white kid...but i get it the white kid was fusco and he was kinda telling his story...

[JamesC]

I have to agree about The Forbidden Kingdom.

Didn't like it. Way too much cheese and so many cliches it was pathetic.

[GeneChing]

...we have a thread for it - take that debate over there.

On another note, yesterday I posted this on the Chollywood Rising thread. It's about IMAX in China. Apparently China is the 2nd largest market for IMAX in the world. They are developing portable inflatable IMAX theaters to reach China's countryside... that sounds like a fire trap to me, but I'd love to see one.

[JamesC]

Sorry Gene.

I think that inflatable IMAX theatre is a great idea! The potential to eventually reach out beyond even those second-tier cities is great.

I can just imagine someone from a very rural area being able to see their very first movie on an IMAX screen. That would be great.

[GeneChing]

I hope this makes it to U.S. IMAX screens.

Chinese Monkey King story adapted in $60M 3-D film
(AP) – 6 hours ago

HONG KONG (AP) — The Monkey King character from Chinese folklore will be revived in a $60 million 3-D blockbuster starring Donnie Yen and Chow Yun-fat, as local filmmakers try to match the massive success of "Avatar" by launching their own productions in the new format.

The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong, hails from the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West," which describes a Buddhist monk's pilgrimage to India to collect religious texts. He is protected by three disciples, including a fighting monkey with magical powers.

The popular story is frequently adapted in stage productions, movies and TV series. It received the Hollywood treatment in 2008 when Lionsgate released "The Forbidden Kingdom," which costarred Jackie Chan and Jet Li, who played the Monkey King.

Now Chinese filmmakers are answering with a big-budget adaptation of their own.

Hong Kong director Soi Cheang started shooting "Monkey King" in Beijing on Oct. 8 with Yen in the title role and Chow playing a mythical emperor, Hong Kong-based Filmko Entertainment, one of the investors, said in a statement Monday. Other stars include actor-singer Aaron Kwok and actresses Kelly Chen, Cecilia Cheung and Gigi Leung.

"Monkey King" follows the character's life story before his India trip, when he attacked the Heavenly Kingdom with the Buffalo Demon King (Kwok), upset that he was snubbed by its rulers — a move that led to his imprisonment until the pilgrimage.

Chinese studios are keen to cash in on the country's fast-growing 3-D movie market, which delivered a whopping $206 million in box office revenues to the makers of the Hollywood sci-fi epic "Avatar" earlier this year — a feat that made the James Cameron film the top-grossing movie in China of all time. About a third, or 1,100 of China's movie screens are 3-D screens, the official Xinhua News Agency reported in April.

Famed Hong Kong director Tsui Hark also recently started shooting a 3-D production, announcing he will remake his 1992 kung fu movie "Dragon Inn" in the format.

The production team for "Monkey King" draws from Hollywood expertise, including visual effects designers who worked on 3-D movies like "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland," Filmko said.

Yen was most recently seen in Andrew Lau's "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen," playing the nationalist hero made famous by Bruce Lee. Chow's releases this year are the biopic "Confucius" and the World War II-era drama "Shanghai."

The director of "Monkey King" is known for tackling monster-like characters in horror films. Cheang's latest movie, the psychological thriller "Accident," was nominated for the Golden Lion Prize at the Venice Film Festival last year.

Filmko said the Hong Kong filmmaker will spend five months shooting "Monkey King" and another 15 months editing his footage. The expected release date is 2012.

[SPJ]

ALWAYS a sun wu kong fan since kidhood.

nice to see the 3-D

[GeneChing]

And I thought the Flying Tigers thing was funny....

No Monkey Business as Competing Versions of Chinese Legend Go into Production
2:34 PM 10/31/2010 by Karen Chu

Filmko and Mandarin Films Prepare $60 Mil 3D "The Monkey King"

HONG KONG – Filmko and Mandarin Films are co-producing a 400 million yuan ($60 million) 3D retelling of the Chinese legend The Monkey King with a mega-watt cast including Chow Yun-Fat, Donnie Yen and Aaron Kwok for a July 2011 release, Filmko Distribution general manager Dominic Yip told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday.

Producers intend for the film to release in 3D IMAX format, and have meet with IMAX executives in Beijing, Yip said, but the deal is in early stages and not yet finalized.

Filmko and Mandarin share in a 65% and 35% split the production cost, now targeted at 400 million yuan, currently the second-most expensive Asian project in production ever after John Woo’s $80 million 2008 two-part epic Red Cliff. Filmko is in negotiation with investors in China, Japan and other regions for minor contributions to the budget, a part of which is set aside for intended IMAX release.

Ip Man star Donnie Yen will play the title character and serves as action choreographer in The Monkey King, joined by Chow Yun-Fat (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), Aaron Kwok (The Storm Warriors), Cecilia Cheung (The Promise) and Asian pop icon Faye Wong (Chungking Express) in her first acting role in six years. The film is produced by Ah Gan, helmer of the most successful horror film in China, The Game of Killing. Hong Kong director Cheng Poi-Shui (Accident) will helm from a screenplay by Edmond Wong, writer of Ip Man 1 & 2.

The companies had hired from Hollywood a part of the production team, to handle the 3D aspects and special effects in the film, including cinematographer Daniel Symmes, special makeup effects supervisor Shaun Smith (300, I Am Legend), and visual effects consultant David Ebner (Alice in Wonderland). Special effects shooting in 3D has commenced in Beijing, while full cast will begin filming in mid-November.

The Monkey King is based on the 17th century Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. The simian protagonist is set for cinemas in 2011. The Monkey King will be presented at the upcoming American Film Market and is scheduled for China and Hong Kong in July 2011.

Director/producer/superstar Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer) and his company Bingo Group and China Film Group are also moving forward with their take on the legend, a remake of Chow’s 1994 A Chinese Odyssey, which will begin shooting in China in February next year for a Christmas 2011 release. With a 60 million yuan ($9 million) budget, the Chow camp has contemplated shooting and releasing in 3D or IMAX format, but is considering the budget implications. Chinese television producer Zhang Jizhong has also announced a three-part 3D movie version in English.

“We are not concerned at all about any other competing projects about the Monkey King legend,” said Yip. “Anyone can make a movie about the Monkey King. But we have a stellar cast, our own creative interpretation of the story and the characters. Ours will be completely different from anyone else’s.”

[ghostexorcist]

Originally Posted by GeneChing

And I thought the Flying Tigers thing was funny....

I really liked Chow's portrayal as the Monkey King. I'd rather see him do a full on adaptation of the book than redo his A Chinese Odyssey series, but I'm sure it will turn out superbly in the end.

For those who haven't seen it, check out this clip (don't bother reading the ill-timed subtitles):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8ZyC...eature=related

[GeneChing]

"The Monkey King" promoted in Beijing
English.news.cn 2010-12-12 19:53:10


Chinese pop stars Aaron Kwok (L), Joe Chen (2nd L), Donnie Yen (C), Xia Zitong and Chow Yun-fat (R) pose at a press conference held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2010 to promote the new 3D film "The Monkey King". The action fantasy movie draws on the Journey to the West, a legend story of an immortal monkey being converted to the Buddhism and helping his master with the great pilgrimage to India. (Xinhua/Ji Guoqiang)


Hollywood movie star Chow Yun-fat poses with his wife at a press conference held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2010 to promote the new 3D film "The Monkey King". The action fantasy movie draws on the Journey to the West, a legend story of an immortal monkey being converted to the Buddhism and helping his master with the great pilgrimage to India. (Xinhua/Ji Guoqiang)


Chinese pop stars Peter Ho (L), Kelly Chan (C) and Gigi Leung pose at a press conference held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2010 to promote the new 3D film "The Monkey King". The action fantasy movie draws on the Journey to the West, a legend story of an immortal monkey being converted to the Buddhism and helping his master with the great pilgrimage to India. (Xinhua/Ji Guoqiang)


Chinese pop stars Kelly Chan (L) and Eddie Cheung pose at a press conference held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2010 to promote the new 3D film "The Monkey King". The action fantasy movie draws on the Journey to the West, a legend story of an immortal monkey being converted to the Buddhism and helping his master with the great pilgrimage to India. (Xinhua/Ji Guoqiang)


Chinese pop stars Donnie Yen (L) and Xia Zitong are seen at a press conference held in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2010 to promote the new 3D film "The Monkey King". The action fantasy movie draws on the Journey to the West, a legend story of an immortal monkey being converted to the Buddhism and helping his master with the great pilgrimage to India. (Xinhua/Ji Guoqiang)

Great fashion, no?