Profiles

John Woo producing new movie

(AP)
Updated: 2006-10-18 19:41

Producer John Woo has started filming "Blood Brothers," a Chinese-language film set in 1930s Shanghai and is also gearing up to shoot the historical epic "Battle of Red Cliff," one of his business associates said Wednesday.

Hong Kong film director John Woo waves to photographers after receiving an honorary degree of Doctor of Social Sciences at a ceremony at the Baptist University campus in Hong Kong. [AFP]

"Blood Brothers" has a budget of nearly US$10 million (euro8 million) and follows the relationship between three friends from the countryside as they adapt to city life.

The film is two weeks into shooting in Shanghai, Woo's business partner Terence Chang told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea, where Chang is promoting the movie.

Directed by newcomer Alexi Tan, the movie features an ensemble cast including Chang Chen from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Daniel Wu, Shu Qi, Liu Ye and Sun Honglei.

Chang said watching Tan's TV commercials, he was impressed with his ability to tell a story very quickly.

Praising Tan, educated at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Chang said he believed the filmmaker had the talent to appeal to a global audience.

"His sensitivity, all aspects of his ability can accomplish this," Chang said.

He said Woo has already visited the set of "Blood Brothers" and is "very happy" with Tan's progress.

Chang said Chinese film company Huayi Brothers has signed on to distribute "Blood Brothers" in mainland China.

Chang said the idea for "Blood Brothers" _ mainly funded in Taiwan _ came out of his Chang's frequent trips back to Asia Los Angeles to prepare for the shooting of "Battle of Red Cliff," which is expected to start filming in March, 2007.

"Battle of Red Cliff" revolves around a key war in 208 A.D. that determined the geography of the Three Kingdoms period, when China had three separate rulers.

It stars Chow Yun-fat, Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Taiwanese model Lin Chi-ling and Chang Chen.

Hong Kong director, Daniel Lee, is planning to start shooting another epic in March also set in the Three Kingdoms period. Called "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon," it stars Andy Lau and Maggie Q.

Asked if he was concerned about the competition from Lee's film, Chang said he believes the Chinese-speaking market is big enough for two movies set in the Three Kingdoms period.

"I'm not afraid," he said, adding, "I hear there are a whole bunch of mainland Chinese TV movies that will be set in the Three Kingdoms period."

Chang said "Battle of Red Cliff" is scheduled to be released in mid-July 2008, ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing.

He said the production company that he and Woo run, the Los Angeles-based Lion Rock Productions, plans to make more films in the Chinese-speaking world and has set up a company in Hong Kong to carry out the work.

"We have more control over things" in Asia compared to Hollywood, he said.

Chang also said Lion Rock is creating its own video games and comic books and then making movies based on them.

He said the company is due to launch a comic book with Virgin Comics called "Seven Brothers," written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Indian illustrators, at the end of the month. Chang said the comic book, which Lion Rock plans to make into a movie eventually, is similar to "Fantastic Four" and "X-Men."

Chang said it makes business sense to create original content.

"Take 'X-Men' for example, you have to buy the movie rights. You may not be able to obtain the rights. If you create these stories and characters from scratch, then you control them," he said.

John Woo made his name in Hong Kong as an action movie director before moving to Hollywood, where his credits include "Mission: Impossible 2," "Face/Off" and "Broken Arrow."